merry

I promise I've been taking pictures and have stories to share, but they'll have to wait until we return to Boise, I think, because Stephen is DONE with surgery and is all ours for a solid two weeks, and I plan on soaking up every last minute of his time! But a quick 'lil update - we moved out of our hotel and are staying out at the Walls until just after Christmas. It is a beautiful winter wonderland here and the house is constantly filled with Christmas music and Uriah's laughter. Today, I made cookies while my boys played and got to rock Uriah to sleep (twice! a stage I thought he outgrew when he learned to put himself to sleep) and take a nap with him. You guys! It's been the absolute BEST!

We are wishing everyone the happiest holiday season! Enjoy the snow and your families and the warm coffees and hot chocolates and Christmas music and lazy days and movies and, and and....! From our family to yours, Merry Everything!

>> Ps: Our Christmas card was designed by my beautiful and talented friend, Kourtney Tew! Check out her Etsy site, QTPrints, or her Facebook page!

Happy (early) Christmas!

Sundays are always good to us - church, breakfast outings, study time, family time, long naps... and this last Sunday, Christmas! Jon and Stephanie left for California late last night (I know, and they didn't even take us with them!), so the whole Wall clan got together Sunday night to celebrate! The halls were decked and Christmas music was filling the house... After a huge, delicious ham dinner, us and our babe were spoiled rotten with gifts. Truly, we are so blessed! Blessed, even more, by our family's company and love. This last six weeks have been a little weird - when Stephen and I usually come to Alaska, we stay out at the Walls and have all the free time in the world. But this time, we're staying at our own place on the opposite side of town and Stephen is busy all day and on-call all weekends - we haven't had as many opportunities to spend quality time all together as a family. And now that Jon and Steph are gone and we're leaving next week... Well it's not like we didn't already know how much we love this family, but it always becomes more apparent at the end of the trip or in the quiet moments (is there such a thing with four cousins under the age of two?!) of a cozy Christmas night all together. Annnd now I feel the need to burst out in a Christmas carol and end this post with a "and God bless us, every one". Not to worry, I will spare you. But to our family - we have loved this time with you and we loved our Christmas with you and we are so thankful for the sweet, thoughtful gifts. And to all of you - Happy (early) Christmas!

photos and a laugh for you on this hump day

^^ iPhone/Instagram pictures as of late (because I've been terrible about bringing out the actual camera) ^^

And a completely unrelated link to "A Ten Month Old's Letter to Santa". Ok, not completely unrelated because 90% of the pictures above are of my own ten month old, as almost all of my other photos and posts are, too. My mom sent it to me this morning and as I had just posted my Christmas wish list for Uriah, well it was all too fitting and perfect and I just couldn't not share. It is Uriah to a T, especially numbers one through five. I'm sure all you other mommas can relate! So read, laugh, and enjoy! Happy Hump Day!

carats & cake - a blog feature

Today, our wedding was added to Carats & Cake - a wedding website designed to help brides-to-be pick the perfect vendors for their big day. We are honored and thrilled to share our wedding with those planning their own! We loved our vendors (mostly our amazing photographer, Aaron Courter!) and are happy to think we are generating more business for them all. The website gives the brides an opportunity to read my reviews on our vendors and send me messages with questions or comments. Head on over and check it out!

all i want for christmas {uriah edition}

1. Baby boy is going to be walking soon and he's going to be needing some shoes (to wear outside where he always wants to be!) I know those soft little Carter's shoes are probably the most practical, but how badly do I want these Converse and TOMS for him?! Why is everything so much cuter miniaturized? (Nordstrom)

2. Toys on toys on toys! The kid is already spoiled with toys, but we haven't gotten him any "big boy" toys since we left Boise when he was seven months old. I love the Melissa and Doug brand and these gems from Ikea. If his toys are going to be strewn all about our house, I want them to be cute - hence the wood theme. Blocks, walking toys, trains and cars... Anything boy. 

3. Really this could be grouped with the last one - more toys! But specifically he loves balls. Different colors and textures and sizes. I love this Battat brand found at Barnes and Noble. (Which also carries great bath toys!)

4. Now I guess these things aren't really for Uriah. He doesn't want these things, I want them for him. (But I guess other than toys, that's how all these things are) He's been sleeping in his crib without a bumper, which has been fine, but I always feel bad when I go upstairs and see his legs sticking out of the rails or him sitting up staring at his binky that's fallen out and to the floor. This plain, soft white one from Amazon would be just perfect! - We're also in need of a baby gate; two of them. He's already mastered the stairs here, but it'll be awhile before he learns how to go down them safely and ours at home are wood - I'm already worried about him on them! A plain white one that actually fastens to the wall (vs held by pressure) is exactly what we need. (Target)

5. More toys! This cutest work bench set is a "big boy" toy, but probably too big for now, maybe more appropriate for his first birthday...? I just thought it was so cute! And again with the wood - this would be set up in our living room most likely and it wouldn't be a terrible eye sore! (Ikea)

6. Uriah has always had a full closet, thanks to Nana! But preparing for the sizes and ages to come could never hurt. He could still use a few more play, casual clothes in 12-18 month sizes (is that really his next size?!), and anything in 18-24 month sizes. My favorite shops for Uriah are H&M and Gap. They are made so well and always fit him so great!

7. Uriah's got the perfect corner in his room, just waiting for a play tent to crawl in and out of! I've seen so many of these around Pinterest - do it yourself tutorials - but I really doubt my artistic craft skills and wouldn't want to ruin one. I love this one from Land of Nod! I know there are cheaper ones out there ;) but I love the modern, bright, simple pattern - something that will look good in any room and be neutral enough for baby boys and girls (which I'm crossing my fingers for someday!) 

all i want for christmas {stephen edition}

1. Dress clothes. Not the funnest gift to give or get for a guy, maybe, but necessary. Stephen has to dress up to the hospital every day, so despite the fact that he thinks he only needs five dress shirts (one for each day, duh) he could really use some more. These pictured are from Gap (because Stephen's clothes have to be special ordered!)

2. The Wall boys have poor circulation. Something Grandpa Jeff passed on to all his boys and now his grand babies. Every morning that Stephen wakes up early to study, he puts on a pair of socks, pulls his sweatpants over his feet, and sits with a blanket over his legs. So maybe boots are more appropriate for the problem on our hands, but a pair of warm, comfy, cozy slippers would be much more appealing, I think. And a pair that he could also wear outside to take out the trash? Perfect. My favorites for Stephen are these Uggs.

3. Stephen and I haven't had a tv since we got married. And while we still don't need one, and wouldn't bother getting cable for it, having a larger screen to watch movies on would be nice. And while this probably isn't the exact tv he'd want - technology is Stephen's department, not mine - you get the idea.

4. Pass the Pigs! Or if you know Stephen, any game, really. We quite often play card games together after Uriah's gone to bed, and he's always pulling out a board game to play when family and friends are over. Even though Stephen is both a sore winner and a sore loser ;) I love playing games with him! I've most recently seen Pass the Pigs at Barnes and Noble and know that they have a great assortment of fun games for everyone.

5. Isn't every man on the hunt for a perfectly thin wallet? Stephen is always complaining about how much room his wallet and phone take up in his pocket. And I remember my dad having the same problem years ago - ended up resorting back to his old one, I think. I found these two on Pinterest and followed them back to their source - Etsy. (Gosh don't you just love the talented crafty people out there?!)

6. Play clothes! Which is probably a term I should save for Uriah, so, casual clothes! Stephen and I both have only a small handful of colors in our wardrobes, his consisting of blue, gray, wine, white and black. (With a few neon bro tanks and board shorts, of course) I love these colors on him - so handsome! And these cozy sweatshirts would be perfect for a casual date, taking Uriah to the park, studying at Starbucks... Again, found from Gap.

*Not pictured: #7. A bike. Because, like the tv, I haven't the slightest idea as to what kind he'd want. I wouldn't even know where to find a picture of one he might like. But he could definitely use one. He's been riding my dad's old heavy metal bike since we moved to Seattle, and while, yes, it gets him to and from the hospital, it relentlessly squeaks the entire way there and isn't made to fit his extra long frame.

all i want for christmas {allison edition}

1. So I know I have too many dresses in my closet already, but can you really ever have too many dresses? Since Uriah was born, the only dresses I've looked at or bought were ones I could nurse in. And while I love a good button down or wrap dress, I have been eyeing these midi skater dresses for months, waiting to be able to justify such a purchase. And now that Uriah's not nursing every hour and a half and eating off our plates while we're out and about instead, well timing couldn't be more perfect! These three dresses are from asos.com

2. Things for the home - pillows and curtains for our bedroom to match our newly painted dresser (because I'm too lazy to make them myself) and an overhead light for the dining room to replace the awful chandelier the house came with. These seem like boring gifts to give, but they're things I want, not necessarily need, so it's hard to justify buying them. The light is from Home Depot and the bedroom accessaries from Target.

3. Booties! A term I had to explain to Stephen ;) I have my fair share of boots, but not one pair of booties, and it's about time I jumped on this band wagon! I love this style and I love that they're so versatile - leggings, jeans, dresses... The perfect addition to any wardrobe. These two I found on Shoedazzle and Famous Footwear.

4. Now, I love my diaper bag. I love it. It has the perfect amount of space and pockets and has been perfectly organized since before Uriah was born. But because I use it for literally everything and take it everywhere, every day, it is slowly starting to fray and crack (because it wasn't $100+ ^^) So I was thinking, I have more than one purse to trade out and switch it up, why not more than one diaper bag? (Petunia Pickle Bottom)

5. Again, do I really need more clothes? No. But do I always want more clothes? Duh! I love these easy, loose tops - so easy to dress up or down and so easy to nurse in. These two are from H&M, but Forever21, Gap and Anthropologie are other favorites of mine.

ten.

 ^^ Thanks for the glow sticks, Erica! They're his new favorite toy! ^^

 ^^ Always on the move! So hard to get a decent picture these days! ^^

Ten months to me means two months until twelve months, which means I have a one year old?! Uh, time? Slow down! I say it every month, but gosh! These past ten months watching Uriah learn and grow have been so fun, so challenging and so wonderful. We are so blessed to have such a happy, healthy boy - our hearts are full to the brim with pride and joy!

At ten months old Uriah is crawling, standing up on anything and everything, walking along furniture, walking with our fingers, doing hundreds of squats each day, occasionally standing on his own, but always, always on the move! He is so curious and so observant - he wants to touch, hold and eat everything! This apartment has definitely been baby proofed!

Uriah has four teeth, two on top and two on bottom. Just in the last week he has been drooling like crazy, so we're thinking another one isn't too far off. October was a rough teething month for him (and us!) so this short little break was welcomed by all.

Uriah still eats like we starve him - anything and all the time! If he sees it, he needs it. And he won't forget about it if you hide it, either, I've tried! The kid's got a one track mind... Food! Just crawling into the kitchen sets him off! How he doesn't weigh more, I don't understand. He's eating solids three to four times a day and nursing about the same.

He is still wearing size four diapers, nine and twelve month bottoms and twelve month tops. He has been napping extra long these last few days... growth spurt? His legs are still on the shorter side and his torso is long, but he's clinging on to that baby chub in his arms and legs and I don't ever want to see it go!

Uriah's sleep schedule is still off and on - occasionally sleeping through the night, occasionally waking up once or twice. I don't mind getting up with him when I know it's teething pain or a cold keeping him up, but I'll admit it's a lot harder to drag myself out of bed when he's fed and changed and feeling ok ;) Wether he wakes up once in the night or not, he wakes up every morning at 5:30, right as Stephen's alarm is going off. I'll nurse him, he goes back to sleep and I'll spend the next two hours catching up on Pinterest and Instagram, working out, eating breakfast, reading or blogging (like right now). It's a pretty good morning routine for us :)

He is still napping three to four times a day, for at least an hour each nap. Though, more often than not, he's skipping that fourth one. We're always out and about here doing family things, so it's been hard to get him on a good nap schedule, but he seems to be doing ok with all the uncertainty.

Uriah is still babbling, always, and I love to listen to him mumble as he crawls or scream in excitement! He says "dada", "momma" and "nana", though not always directed at us, but usually just apart of his monologue ;) He gives kisses and "loves" and occasional waves and high fives. He is crazy playful and adventurous, but gets shy around new people and buries his head in my neck (which I love!)

Because we haven't been able to take him outside (his favorite place to be!) we've been inside playing with toys a lot more and I've been able to discover which ones he likes best... The kid is going to be a musician! He loves his drum toy (or any surface that can be used as a drum) tapping it with his hand, his spoon, the empty paper towel roll... He loves playing the xylophone and the mini guitar and piano on his walking toy - always throwing his arms and bouncing to the music! He also loves balls - chasing them and watching them be tossed and rolled, though he can't quite do the tossing and rolling himself, yet. Uriah also has two favorite books - Bitty Bear books from my old American Girl Bitty Baby. He pulls them off the shelf, now, and sits flipping through the pages babbling to himself, or will bring one to my lap and smile the entire time I read it to him. Though those are his favorites, anything and everything is a toy to Uriah (water bottles are a favorite non-toy, toy) and it's so fun to watch him discover new things!

Uriah also loves the water! Which, we already knew when we first took him swimming when he was a month and a half old, but he's just loving it more and more as he gets older. Bath time is his favorite and we play in the tub much longer than necessary to get clean. We've also been taking him swimming at the club - he just smiles the whole time, splashing and laughing at everything! One of his favorite games right now is to watch us hide behind a corner and come find us - it's a guaranteed smile and laugh every time. Or being chased! He loves being chased! Stephen will hold him and we'll run circles around the kitchen and living room "getting" each other. His excitement and giggles keep us smiling and laughing and we might be having just as much fun as him, if not more ;)

I can't believe that in two short months he will be one year old... These posts just keep getting longer and longer as he grows - learning and doing so much more. It's so bitter sweet. I love watching him grow and explore - his sweet, playful, loving personality showing through more and more every day. But I never get to have my baby back again? sigh. Bitter sweet. We love you, Uriah Michael. Thanks for being our baby boy and making our lives so full of love and laughter.

Thanksgiving 2013

For my saving Jesus, my hard working, loving husband, our healthy, handsome little boy, our crazy, fun families spread all over the US, my wonderful friends, whom I miss terribly, my health, our precious little home... This Thanksgiving might just be my most thankful one yet. Each year since Stephen and I met has been such an adventure for us, and this one may be the biggest and best of them all! It was such a blessing to celebrate Thanksgiving here in Fairbanks with the Wall family - my second one in Alaska and our first with Grandma and Grandpa Brown. The evening was full of games, great food, talking, laughing and noisy little kids. This family just keeps growing and it is so fun to watch all these cousins and friends play together! Stephen and I stayed out at his parents house until past our bedtime - really trying to soak up and enjoy this opportunity to spend time with his family. Thankful and blessed... Truly. 

the way my iPhone sees it

So we're here! Alaskaaa! Well, we've been here, but it's high time I started sharing this adventure on the blog. We're here until just after Christmas - two weeks down, four and a half left. The school put us up in a long term hotel and has provided a rental car for us. Stephen spends his day at the hospital, busy in his surgery rotation, while I chase Uriah around playing peek-a-boo. We've been getting to see our family almost every day, too, which we love! It is so fun to watch Uriah interact with his cousins, and I know his grandparents are soaking up every minute with all four of their grand babies together. Church, lunch outings, grocery shopping, time at the gym, play dates, dinner, power outages... We've been having so much fun here (despite the negative temperatures) and are really looking forward to Thanksgiving this week! (And the whole month of December!) More to come, soon enough. For now, an iPhone/Instagram peek at our temporary home and Alaska adventures.

^^ The digs ^^