Genius School

There's a joke between my co-workers about children.  It started with my boss & wasn't shared with me until after I had Alex.  Basically my boss tells the story of having their first child & being amazed at everything she did.  He says his daughter would do something they thought was just remarkable & they'd look at each other & say - "genius school!" because they just knew she was immensely smart & talented.  Of course, as she got older & they had a few more children, he realized that she was a normal kid with strengths & weaknesses.  His story speaks to that feeling all first time parents have - you may not even realize you're doing it but you can't help but think your kid is AMAZING.

I learned about this phenomenon when one day my boss & I were on our way to visit a client.  He asked how Alex was doing & I told him how he was rolling over already & I couldn't believe it.  Later, he said to my co-worker - "Did Stephanie tell you about Alex?"  I launched into my story about how Alex was rolling over, blah blah blah & my boss said - "He's definitely going to genius school."  That's when my co-worker explained the genius school joke.  My boss had told him about it when he had his first child a few years ago (of course, he pointed out that his son really WAS going to genius school - ha!)  It's something that doesn't really make sense before you have kids but I totally get it now.

I told Michael about it & ever since then, we joke about it with each other.

Alex learning how to army crawl:
Me - Look, he's moving all over the living room!
Michael - Genius school!

Alex pulling up for the first time:
Me - Look what your son just did - I can't believe it!
Michael - Genius school!

Alex grabbing the spoon & putting the right end in his mouth:
Me - Look, he already knows what to do with it!
Michael - Genius school!

Alex turning the spoon around & chewing on the other end:
Me - Hmm...
Michael - Public school for you, son.*

It gives us a good laugh.  Of course, Alex IS remarkably amazing & advanced.  I think genius school is definitely in his future.  No really, I'm not just saying that as a proud mama.  Ha!

*For the record, I'm not knocking public school - Michael & I both attended public school.  It's not exactly genius school, but we turned out pretty well.  J

Fall Wishlist

Since it's been so hot around here, it's hard to believe fall will be here soon.  I'm definitely looking forward to some fall weather.  I'm also looking forward to fall fashion!  Here are a few things that have caught my eye.

Nine West Abalene Heels

I think the loafer heel is going to be big this fall.  These are super cute & come in several colors - the hardest part might be picking one!

Cole Haan Vintage Valise Kendra Tote

I am so in love with this bag!  Typically, I'm not a big purse person.  (I can't afford a shoe AND purse addiction).  I don't like moving all my stuff from purse to purse every morning, so I tend to just stick with one for the whole season.  This one is calling my name!  The price tag is not, though.  Maybe if I used it for the next five years, I could justify the price?  A girl can always dream...

Tulle Short Vintage Wool Jacket

Keeping on the orange theme, I thought this was a cute fall jacket.  So cute in fact that I bought it!  So, I guess it's not really on my wishlist anymore.  Piperlime had a pre-fall sale (20% off) & I had a $10 off coupon.  I couldn't resist!  I just noticed the orange of the jacket & the orange of the tote kind of clash.  A sign that I don't need the tote?  Nah...

Banana Republic Non-iron Fitted Sateen Shirt

I need a new crisp, white button down shirt & this one from BR looks promising.  I like the non-iron aspect (if that's really the case!)  I may need to go to the store to try it on rather than buy online...  Is it just me or is it hard to find a good button down shirt that fits well?

I just checked the price of that tote again hoping it had gone on sale since I started this post but no luck.  Ha...  I think I'm officially obsessed.

Anyone else have any good fall finds?

Family Pictures

My brother was in town recently (he lives in Pennsylvania), so we decided to get some family pictures taken since we don't have any with my whole family & Alex.  They were taken by Jenny Brashears & I think they turned out great!  Here are a few of my faves.

Since it's been a HOT summer, the grass was not very soft.  Alex didn't quite know what to think but in the last picture you can see he'd had enough.  He lifted up his leg & shrieked.  It was funny (but we of course jumped to pick him up immediately - ha).

I want to have a photo shoot every day!  J

Eight is Great

Our little man is eight months old!  Eight is my favorite number, so this is a fun one to celebrate.  When someone asks me how old Alex is now & I say "eight months", they usually say - oh, that's such a fun age!  And I agree.  His personality is really starting to come out, he's interactive & he loves exploring his world.  Plus, he doesn't really understand "no" yet so he's not flat out defying me yet & I don't have to worry about the best way to discipline him.  Ha!  It won't be long, though.  When I tell him "no", he looks at me & gives a devious grin.  I have a feeling we're going to have our hands full with this one.  J

Other updates this month: he got his second tooth (handled it like a pro), he's a FAST crawler, he pulls up on everything, he's a climber (eek!), he definitely lets you know when he's not getting what he wants (he gives a little shriek that makes me laugh), he gets bumps & bruises but it doesn't slow him down much.

Eight months old!

Trying out his new toy

So.much.fun

 On a mission

 Target in sight

 Oh yeah...

 Success!

New favorite thing - pulling up on the swing even though it's a challenge to balance

Got the tray!

 It's calling his name again...

 Made it

 Mmm, this strap is delicious

What a goofy little munchkin!  But we love him! 

Throwback Thursday

Well, it's Thursday & I remembered to post another installment from my pregnancy e-journal.  Here ya go!

September 18^th

Michael & I planned a big tailgate for the OSU vs. TU game.  Michael’s brother set up our tent in a prime location on Thursday night.  We bought a parking pass on eBay so we could be close.  We left the house around 10:00, went to the grocery store to pick up buns for the sandwiches, stopped by a jewelry store to get Michael’s OSU watch fixed & headed to Stillwater.  I thought we were going to grab something to eat but Michael wanted to get on the road.  Thank goodness I had a granola bar when I woke up but I was STARVING by the time we got to Stillwater.  Doesn’t Michael know that it’s serious business messing with the hunger of a pregnant woman??  Michael’s brother tried to put his car in the lot to save us a spot but they weren’t letting people in until noon.  We got there right around noon & got a spot with no problems.  Then we took Stephen & his roommate to lunch at Curly’s (yummy hamburgers & fries).  Michael & I went back to the car & started unloading the tailgate.  It was freaking HOT.  AFTER I made about five loads, Michael got mad at me for carrying stuff.  Ok, why didn’t you say that five loads ago, mister?  I wasn’t taking anything really heavy but I definitely got overheated (like everyone else).  My sister showed up about the same time & helped.  We got the tailgate set up & I sat down by the fan to cool off.  The temp was about 93 degrees but the heat index was around 100.  UGH!  Where’s fall weather??  The tailgate was a big success.  My parents came along with a lot of our friends.  Michael heated up his Italian beef sandwiches & everyone brought sides/snacks.  Delicious!  The game turned out to be a blow out (OSU won).  We went to the tailgate at halftime & never ended up going back in.  We sat around with our friends, then we packed up our stuff & headed home.  We were exhausted but it was a fabulous day! 

September 19^th – 28 weeks

First day of my third trimester.  I’ve heard heartburn can be a problem in the third trimester & funnily enough, I had a raging case all day Sunday & all night.  BOO. 

September 22^nd

Met Lisa (the girl who's making some of our baby bedding) at the fabric store to show her the fabric we’d like to use for the bedding.  Found out the sueded material (to use on the crib skirt) is 53% off until next Wednesday for their anniversary sale.  The fabric is expensive, so this sale really helps but that means I have to figure out how much we need ASAP.  Lisa said to let her know the exact measurements for the crib.  I guess we’ll assemble the crib this weekend!  I wanted to wait until after we painted but oh well – it’s all gotta get done anyway.

September 23^rd

We had a bake sale at work to raise money for the Komen Foundation & I ate way too much!!  It was all delicious, though.  And for a good cause!  Michael & I went to the Tom Petty concert – yay!  We went to eat beforehand & got lucky to get seats at the bar on the roof (in the shade) – the place was packed!  Then we met up with Alisa & Tyson & talked to them for awhile.  We got to see the end of ZZ Top (better than I expected – they really rocked out) & Tom Petty was great.  The two couples two rows in front of us were super hammered & stood up & danced the whole time.  Slightly annoying because they blocked my view but it was pretty funny to watch them.  Drunk + dancing + no coordination = hilarious sight!  The nugget liked the music (I think) – he was partying & kicking up a storm.

If you haven't dealt much with a pregnant woman before, here's a little tip.  Don't let her get too hungry or you'll end up with something like this:

Ok, that might be a little bit of an exaggeration but not much.  Ha.

When we bought the Tom Petty tickets, Michael told me Tom always made him think of his dad.  I thought maybe his dad loved his music but when I asked Michael about it at the concert, he said it was because he thought his dad looked like Tom when he was younger.

What do you think??  I can see it.  I think it's mainly the hair because I don't think he looks like Tom now.  Don't worry, Danny - you're still as cool as Tom, just a little more conventional now.  J

Happy Thursday!

Saturday Giggles

I know I've been a posting slacker lately.  Work usually starts to get busy about this time & it doesn't let up until November.  Between that & mono (feeling much better but it sneaks up on me), I don't have much energy for the computer.  So don't be alarmed if you don't hear from me as often over the next few months.  I'll still do Throwback Thursdays - just maybe not every Thursday.  I hate to disappoint my adoring fans (ha) but I'll do my best in the meantime.

Now for a quick Saturday laugh.  Today I was getting ready to put Alex in his highchair & I noticed a spider on one of our kitchen chairs (ick!)  I grabbed a nearby flip flop & whacked the sucker.  Apparently it was the funniest thing Alex had EVER seen.  He started cracking up.  I hit the chair with the flip flop again & it was a giggle fest.  It didn't matter what I hit - chair, wall, floor - he thought it was hilarious.

Who would have ever thought smacking something with a shoe would be so fun??

Favorite Things (Beauty Edition)

I love to read product recommendations - I'm more likely to try something if someone I know (or know via the blogging world) has tried it.  So in case any of you are like me, here are some of my favorite beauty items.

Clinique Spot Healing Gel

I got a small bottle of this once in a Clinque Bonus.  It's good stuff!  Just dab a little on a pimple & it should clear up in no time - at least it does for me.  I've noticed a difference in as little as a day.  The less time with a pimple, the better!  And the stuff lasts forever.  I just recently bought a bottle of it to replace my sample bottle.

Pur Minerals Color Correcting Primer (Green)

I have a lot of red in my complexion & this primer helps even out my skin tone.  I also tried & liked the Ulta Primer, but the pump gave me issues (I'm not the only one according to the online reviews) & I think the Pur Minerals primer balances my redness more.

Physicians Formula Mineral Wear Loose Powder

I'd been using Bare Minerals foundation for several years when a friend recommended this powder.  It took me two tries to get the color right, but I actually like it more than Bare Minerals (and it's cheaper!)  I don't really like the brush or container.  In fact, I still had my Bare Minerals foundation container, so I just pour this into it.  A little weird but it works for me.

e.l.f. Mineral Eyeshadow

I love this eye shadow!  It's only $3, so you can try different colors without making a huge investment.  I love the shimmery ones.  My favorites are Celebrity, Sassy & Trendy.  Disclaimer: in my experience, the colors in person don't look exactly like they do online.  I haven't hated any of the colors but it took some trial & error to find my faves.  I also really like the e.l.f. mineral brushes.  They're super soft.

Neutrogena Make-Up Remover Cleansing Towelettes

I'd love to tell you that I always take the time to wash my face before bed.  I'm pretty good about it, but there are nights it just doesn't happen.  That's where these babies come in.  Just wipe the make-up off, toss the towelette & put on some moisturizer.  I used these a LOT after Alex was born.  I didn't want to waste even a few extra minutes washing my face when I could be sleeping - ha.  These kept me from feeling guilty.  You can also buy refills for the case.

Well, that's it for this favorite things edition.  Happy shopping!