Post-Christmas, Pre-New Year

A couple of things should be noted {I'm talking to you, Izzy}:

1) Isabel, you are becoming more accomplished at napping.  THANK YOU

2) In the last month, you have verbalized some iterations of:  Hi DADA, All Done, Mama, and Yeah.  Sometimes, you even say them without me demanding that you say them, and it's those times that I know you are SO SMART.  {Vava= Mama; Aah Duh = All done.... & the others are crystal clear ;) }

3) You seem to be more interested in standing and pulling up on dangerous apparatuses {sharp glass coffee tables, top heavy end tables, metal bed posts....} than you are in learning to crawl.. This makes your days quite harrowing.....OH right, and the sides of bath tub... Making bath time quite different from the old days, and giving your bather a very good workout. 

4) The weather here has been spring-like for a couple of days.  I felt inspired yesterday, walked us to the library {which was MUCH further than I estimated} and now we are both proud library card holders.  YippeE!

Below are my new favorite pictures of Izzy & Will.  Taken on the same day she said "Hi Dada". 

Oh! And tomorrow, Santa brings me a new camera!!!! 

VERY EXCITING.  I hear it will change my life.  ;)

XO

 Cassie

Izzy's First Noel /// A Highlight Reel

Well, I've stayed up wayyy past my bedtime editing these pictures.  {Thanks to a bag of Hershey kisses and Bravo's nasty Vanderpump Rules }.  This was a special year for us, it being Isabelie's first Christmas.  We were so lucky to be able to spend that time with our families, and it flew by much too fast for my liking.

Some of our favorite things: dressing Izzy up like a sweet Christmas doll; super-thoughtful gifts from family {ahem: Will & Cait!!!}, wearing perma-pjs for the day, my mom's lamb on the grill, Will's mom's turkey.... watching others open their gifts, all of that wonderful Christmas music.. the traditional hymns.. the Frasier Fir smell... the lights...

That Christmasey feeling is the best, and going back to work a couple of days after all of that festivity felt very very wrong... There's something about the end of vacations, especially in the winter... it can feel quite depressing and melancholy.  

I start to get that old boarding-school-sad-ache, and it's mighty hard to shake it.  The trees are bare, the sun is low, the sky is grey.. Throw in some freezing temps & lots of darkness?? Pretty gross. 

Which is why I'd like to leave the Christmas tree up til, oh I don't know.... March?  

Can we agree on March? {Will??}
Hot yoga is also a good solution.
Hot yoga & hot chocolate. A little winter band-aid. 

That ornament is already broken... :(

Izzy with my dad & mom

Will's sissie, Cait.

Izzy with Will's dad

the 2 Wills :) bro & hub

Will's sister made that hat!!!  We're all obsessed with it. :)

Merry Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!!!!

XO

 Cassie

Starting Solids// {Izzy to Charley}

This is Isabel's open letter to her friend Charlotte, who has some questions about starting solid foods.  

Izzy dictated, I typed.   

Dear Charley{my "bad-to-the-bone" girl-friend},

I hear you're going to be starting solid foods soon?  This is kind of exciting, because it means that there are very yummy things on the horizon {or so I hear}.  But don't get too excited.  You will probably only get fruits and veggies in the beginning.  {You're probably wondering, as did I, why do they assume that we want to be vegans? Well Charley, I think the answer is obvious:  more burritos and ice cream for them.}  

My mom uses a Beaba Babycook to make most of my food.  {She found it on Craigslist, from a very nice mommy who used it for her baby.  So as you can imagine, the price was slashed}

Apparently she loves the Babycook because she is busy and lazy and tired.  It steams and purees in one fell swoop.  Whoopee.  But I guess this saves her time because all she has to do is turn a dial, and it is very easy to clean also.   I will say, the food it makes tastes better than the prepared stuff she buys at the store when she is even more busy/lazy/tired than usual.  In those cases, she buys organic baby foods. Also, she was very stingy with the fruits, so I got mostly veggies... because she didn't want me to expect sweets at mealtime..? {this, coming from the woman who can singlehandedly plow through a box of the little schoolboy cookies in less than 24-48 hours...}

Another thing that helps with the problem of being very busy and very tired {not lazy-- sorry mom, that was tongue in cheek humor! ha}is this Beaba silicone tray that she uses to freeze the food she makes, so that all she has to do is defrost it at meal time.  It's also made by the Beaba company, and my mom has 2 of them.  They look cute, have covers, and the food is stored in good sized portions.  

 

So, in the beginning, she followed my doctor's directions, and just gave one new food at a time, sticking with each new food for a few days or so {just in case I was allergic to it, and also to give me a chance to get used to a new flavor.}  She would often mix some breast milk in with whatever food it was {because I still drink that, haven't tried formula yet, but formula would work too and would be pretty yummy I'm sure}.,  Also, if she needs to thicken a puree, or if I haven't gone #2 in a day or so, she'll mix some oatmeal in with the food.  Here's the oatmeal that I like, it's at Giant and Whole Foods and on Amazon too:

 What else?  Oh yeah, I started solids when I was around five months old, and for the first week or so, I'd have solid food once a day.  Then, I started having it twice a day {which meant I would bring it with me to daycare in these OXO containers, pictured below}

Also, these are my favorite spoons fyi:  {we get them at Target}

SO my favorite foods in the beginning were:  butternut squash, broccoli, avocado, pear, sweet potato, oatmeal and eggplant.  The veggies were just steamed in the Babycook, then pureed, no seasoning {aside from breastmilk}.  Now, I eat 3 meals a day.  Or I guess I should say, they try to feed me 3 meals a day, but I'm still not sold on this solid food thing.  Sometimes I'm into it, and other times, I wish they'd just give up and let me drink my milk in peace.  24/7.  Milk. 

But I do love a good broccoli puree.  Mmmm.  

Let me know if you have any questions Charley!  {or anyone else! :) }

Good luck, and keep being naughty.  Bad to the bone. YOLO.  

XO

Izzy

{and Cassie}

This was taken a couple of months ago...see how I'm opening my mouth willingly?  It's also fun to keep your lips sealed tightly and just make a big huge mess.  Helpful hint.   - Izzy

Snow Angel

And Happiest Birthday to Will today!!!

XO

Cassie

The First 6 Months// things we've loved

I won't call this a must-have list, or even a list of baby essentials, because I think we all know what is really essential:  milk, love, and shelter. {like, duh}

This is my list of inessentials then// inessential items, that I really loved having.  We were fortunate to have been given most of these things, which I registered for painstakingly, after reading lots of product reviews, and other people's list of favorites {and I found this site very helpful, and subscribed to it, which I highly recommend for pregnant, first time moms} Making a registry can be overwhelming, with all of the baby products out there, especially to a new mom who is unfamiliar with Planet Baby.

I was going for good quality, but not break the bank good quality.  Practicality was a priority, as well as space saving.  We ended up with some seriously useful, durable, cute, and {of course} very well loved {by Izzy et al} baby {in}essentials.

SO, here she is, our first list.. bear with me on the labeling, but there are links to all of the pics, below the collage.. ;)

{oh, and I think I'm back to preferring the Izzy spelling over Izzie.... thoughts for the crazy lady?}

 1st row:  Beaufort Bonnet :: Jellycat bunny :: TBBC paci clips :: sound machine :: Britax travel system ::

2nd row:  Mum & Bub products ::123 swaddle blanket :: Aden & Anais swaddles blankets :: Ergo infant insert :: Ergo

3rd row:  Little Giraffe blanket :: Infantino playmat :: SwaddleMe :: FP Whale Tub :: Medela PISA

4th row:  FP Infant to Toddler Rocker :: Graco Pack & Play

5th row:  Gerber organic onesies :: Graco portable swing :: TBBC Changing Pad :: Sophie :: Violet

Ta-DAA!!!!  

So what do you think?  Agree? Disagree?  Have any questions?  Ask 'em// Tell me!  

{you can leave a comment below or email me at cassie.homeandsass@gmail.com}

XO

Cassie

O Tannenbaum!

This weekend, we got our Christmas tree!  Fraser Fir, please and thank you.

The weather tried to stop us, but we're much too obstinate to let a few inches of snow keep us from our tree.  

Also, we needed to give Will the chance to be the big strong hero in his new Jeep ;)

 

XO, 

Cassie

7 months// Christmas Shopping @ Urban Outfitters

// Sweetest Isabel turned 7 months this week!!!  Here is some of what 7 months old contains for this little dumpling: {written to and for Isabellie}

- Your talking sounds are getting really good!!!!! "dadadadadada...... fafafafafafafa...... bababababa....huuuhhhh" {and that huuuuuhhh has sounded very much like a hello, more than a few times!!}

- The rolling across the floor continues, but is becoming more sophisticated! We've been very impressed with how you can get to where you want, with a combo of rolls and scoots.

- You want to crawl so badly, and I think you will be doing it very very shortly.

- A few times, I've said "give mommy a kiss"  and you do it!!!  Your signature, big open mouth cheek slobber.  This makes my heart melt like nothing else.

- I'm trying {half heartedly} to teach you sign language for "more" and "all done". The sign for "all done" just makes you laugh....

- Your obsession and love for doggies continues.... {they would love you back equally if you were better able to control your impulse to grab fistfuls of their hair}

-You can really sit up now!!! and seeing you sitting up on a chair, on the bed, in the middle of the floor, with your little legs bent so that  your feet touch {like a tripod}... I turn to mush.

- You've kind of outgrown your little whale bathtub.  Bath time is now a lot of me trying to keep you alive, as you try to stand and lunge for all of the cool bath stuff {faucet, drain, sides of the tub...}, no more lying prone and watching me sprinkle water overhead....

- And that leads me to this: You are such a busy little bee!!!... So curious, so active, so engaged.... everyone who meets you comments on this {and your good looks too of course ;)}

- Our naps together are the best.  An hour and a half, middle of the day /// Golden.

- You and I have got a  really special bond going, and it's pretty sweet. I was worried that my going back to work would affect it, but it really hasn't.  We have each other down.  We speak the same language, and you are my best, sweetest girlfriend.   {please refer back to these writings during your teenage years....}

So, happy 7 months to you Boo Bear!  We are so proud of you, and love you the MOST!!!

 

Photo is from our August beach trip.... Bonnet can be found HERE

 

 

// This week, I did a little bit of Christmas shopping, and decided to check out Urban Outfitters.  I have not set foot in an Urban Outfitters for years, and had forgotten how much random, interesting, kitchsy stuff they have.  The clothes seemed geared towards a younger, hipster-ish crowd {especially the men's stuff} but there were a number of pieces that I think I could've gone for.  Alas, Christmas shopping is meant to be for others, so I had no time to peruse what might've been....

I snapped a few pictures of some things that I thought should be shared....

Watch out for: ruched velvet, acid wash, a cozy sweater, a great camera, cat prints, shiny rainbow pants {I'm sure SJP could've pulled them off circa 2001 SATC}, floral print {calico?}, mason jar shot glasses {I don't drink, but am sure I could find some use for tiny mason jars!}, a little black dress, sequins, some really cute tops {LOTS of crop tops-- that is another blog post.... crop tops post age 17? post partem?.... ehhh}, and some pretty rocks {some as coasters}.  It reminded me of an artsy cousin to Goodwill//Anthropologie// your neighborhood thrift store//Spencer's {remember that place?}.  Kind of a, "You take the good, you take the bad, you take them both and there you have...."  Urban Outfitters?  You be the judge. 

 

 

 

 Treasure hunting and wandering through weird interesting stuff is fun, right?  

 

 

 

XO

 

Cassie

 

 

 

 

 

Bloglovin

Bloglovin seems to be another way to follow blogs... & you can now find Home & Sass there!

Link is below: 

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And have a happy weekend!

XO

Cassie

Sleeping Woes

Sleep has NOT been normal over the past 7 months or so, and that is to be expected with an infant {so, I guess this is what we might call 'the new normal'}.  Izzie hasn't been a really great sleeper, but she's also not been a bad sleeper.  {She's actually a very easy baby, with a pretty laid back 'tude.}

So our recent sleep issues lately have thrown me for a loop.  At first, I chalked them up to the fact that we had been away from home for 2 long weekends in a row.  Til we got back home, and the sleep issues continued.
{**update:  I'm almost convinced that we're dealing with teething here...good news? yea!} 

Tonight as I'm writing this, I feel so torn.... And scouring books and babycenter forums for clues and suggestions. {that being said, those mothers who brag about their babies sleeping through the night should be permanently banned..}

Sleep deprivation is a form of torture. 

I now understand this.

But letting Izzie "cry it out" also feels like a form of torture-- for both of us. 

Someone said to me recently, "A baby has never died from crying".  And I was left thinking, okay... so we are going for just slightly better??? {and in my sleepy fog, hearing the words death and crying in the same sentence did not help the matter- worst association ever perhaps?}.

Til now, I've been trudging through, thinking that I wouldn't need to resort to any Ferber-ish measures because everything would magically fall into place without a hitch.

And that has pretty much been the case. Until last week, when we went to Atlanta, and on into this week.  It's reached a point where I'm thinking that maybe she really does need to learn how to put herself to sleep, even if that means that she cries herself to sleep... because waking up every 90 minutes and needing mom there to fall back to sleep can't be good for her either.

But then I remember this huge cloak of guilt that colors some of my decisions....I feel guilty and sad that I'm leaving her with others for such a large part of the week, so the hours that I am home with her, leaving her to cry feel doubly hard. {um, impossible actually}

Admittedly, I have also created some "bad habits", which I then feel guilty about-- using the pacifier to fall asleep, bringing her into bed in the middle of the night, sometimes rocking her to sleep, the loose schedule that she has kept {which seems to shift every couple of months}... I've been told by other mothers that this is all normal, which I guess is comforting...? 

I don't want to foster an environment of neediness and clinginess; I want Isabel to be independent and self sufficient.  But on the other hand, I also want her to know that we are there for her always, and that she is loved, without anxiety or fear.   

When I started writing this, I was in the middle of a 5 minute interval of letting her cry.  She was on her 3rd wake up {3 hours after bedtime}. 

Hashtag: the pits.
Hashtag: the trenches. 
  Hashtag: I just wanted to scoop her up. 
Hashtag: I just wanted her to go to sleep. 

Once I did go and pick her up, her body relaxed immediately, she stopped crying and was asleep within 30 seconds.

I mean...... 

Hashtag:  I'm a puddle of mush.

My being a puddle of mush is, in this particular scenario {and I'm sure in plenty more to come} my kryptonite. Or maybe not?  {I'd like to think that being sensitive will be a strength...}

 



That's all I've got // Just a Cliff Notes version of what's been stewing in my brain for the past 48 hours. 

If anybody has an up to date instruction manual for babies, please pass it along.  I must've missed that somewhere along the way. 
Til then...We'll be getting through these teeth with some crying and lots of cuddling.
A healthy balance, I'd say ;) 

 XO

Cassie

Due South // Part II

On our 2nd day in Atlanta, my sweet friend Lauren and I took our squirmy little baby bugs to the Georgia Aquarium.  It was kind of a spontaneous field trip, and neither of us had ever brought our respective mini-people to an aquarium. 
It turned out to be a MAY-jor highlight of the trip!  Both of the little ones loved it- even Izzie.  There were some squeals, talky noises, excited//happy eyes, clapping, and a general air of fun-nes. I was really surprised at how much Isabel {almost 7 months} responded so positively to it.
At the Georgia Aquarium, your general admission ticket also gets you into the dolphin show {no extra cost}.  We decided to try it, not knowing what to expect...
and the show turned out to be verry Disney-ish, and theatrical.  There was singing, there was a ship, there were sea monsters that needed to be fought off, there was water spraying, and rain coming down, and the singing, did I mention that there was singing?
Isabel, unfortuately, had hit her wall by this point, and slept through the entire show in the Ergo.  {and I'm still tiptoeing around when she naps??}
 James though, he loved it!  He was completely enraptured// he sang, danced, clapped, and was utterly cute the whole way through.  It was so adorable, and kind of more fun to watch him than it was to watch the dolphin circus.  We were in the nosebleed seats too, I can't imagine what he would've done if we'd been any closer.

{oh, do I look tired in that picture?  ask me how Izzie has been sleeping lately.... or should I say, not sleeping...one of the joys of having a teething baby..}

So go to the aquarium! (:


XO

Cassie