currently...

Can you even handle this?? Hat by Curly Hair Conspiracy. 

watching: I have really gotten into Hart of Dixie. Running an hour on the treadmill is much more enticing when I know I can also sneak in an hour episode of this show. Sadly, I'm mostly through the first season, and the second isn't streaming on Netflix yet. Next up, I'll be starting Friday Night Lights, at the recommendation of my good friend Anna. 

thinking about: Family. I love our little unit with Quinn, and cannot wait to add to it, but then again I can wait. Getting and being pregnant was not fun! We were one of the first in our group to have a child, so I will be very excited when everyone else starts adding to the brood. Soon, bringing Quinn out to eat with us will not be as easy, but the dinners will still occur until the kids start popping out. And I am one to have a serious case of FOMS (fear of missing something) when these things go on without me. 

reading: The Silver Linings Playbook. It's a quick and easy read - and I enjoy getting the book read before seeing the movie. I am a bit confused because the lead characters behaviors don't seem to be so much bi-polar as they are supposed to be. I see more OCD or Autism spectrum, but I guess the author gets creative freedom with that end. 

looking forward to: Florida!! One week from tomorrow, we leave for Ormond Beach. Just Neel, Mommy, and Quinn. In the end, we'll only have three full days there, but relaxing with each other and no specific plans or responsibilities seems so appealing. Well, that and the weather of course. 

making me happy: Lame, I know, but my success on the treadmill. Five miles per gym visit is my minimum! I am sticking with the training program app on my phone, Run 10k, which was formerly called Couch to 10k. It is helping me to increase my endurance over time, and keeping my weight off. I challenge myself to keep a decent pace (read: not fast) and I always try to match, if not beat, my 5k time. Since starting, I am have shaved over ten minutes off it! Once I finish this program, which culminates the same week as the Jersey Shore 5, I am considering attempting the 13.1 app to train for a half marathon!

Currently post inspired by Danielle of Sometimes Sweet. 

Q52 Week 10: Clapping!

What you see here is a baby so proud of her accomplishment to put two hands together! She still has a bit of learning to do in the clapping department considering her left hand is a fist, and no noise comes out, but they don't call them baby steps for nothing!

Quinn is wearing a hat from Curly Hair Conspiracy, a friend's shop of crocheted hats, homemade purses, and more! Check her out!

See all other Q52 posts here.

Photo via Rebekka Seale

Idea via Che & Fidel

Q52 Week 9: Spring Fever

The sun came out the other day. And it was warm. Not warm-warm like t-shirts and open-toed shoes. But warm like shadows are frigid and you're chasing the sun the whole time and damn it feels good!

It may have been a little preliminary to think that bringing a blanket to the beach was going to be a comfortable, relaxing experience. Finding a clean spot away from the cool breeze was pretty much nil. But what the hell, we did it anyway!

We live 1.74 miles from the beach. I repeat. We live 1.74 miles from the beach. So maybe it wasn't beach weather...but we can try again tomorrow. 

Quinn is six months and one week and sits up on her own now! I may be partial but I'm pretty sure she is the cutest damn thing I have ever seen. 

Q52 - Week 8: Food. (Finally!)

Time to introduce Quinn to foods!!! Month six includes fruits and veggies, but it was recommended we start with vegetables first, since sweet fruits will never be turned down!

We began with carrots, which Quinn appeared to enjoy, but she loved sweet potatoes. I'm currently in the midst of avocado. Q's response to them: eh. Next up, peas, white potatoes, squash, and who knows what else?!?!

Thanks to the trusty Vitamix, all "meals" are prepared by yours truly, in basically no time.

See all other Q52 posts here.

Photo via Rebekka Seale

Idea via Che & Fidel

Q52 - Weeks 3-7

Posting on a regular basis is clearly not my thing, but it is important to me to get these pictures and stats up here in hopes that one day Quinn and I can look back on this and see her life before she remembered it as such.

In the past month, Quinn has blossomed in a way that makes my cheeks hurt due to smiling too much. We are told that the love you have for your child is something you cannot explain. Experiencing it for yourself is a necessity, and dare I say that it can be so great, it even scares me?!

Regardless, I feel the need to share the cuteness of my beautiful daughter with the world. Maybe you want to see it, maybe you don't. If you don't, unfollow or turn away, because I just cannot stop.

^^Week Three: A father's love. Neel joked to me that he did not even "have to work for it anymore," in reference to Quinn's smiles. And he is not joking. There is a tinge of envy when I see her ear-to-ear grin as he enters a room, but this is no competition. We both get to share in this great love of ours.

^^Week Four: Tummy Time! A Superman-esque pose to commemorate Quinn's first official rollover! Daddy and I were there to view this feat together, and as we celebrated, your smug smile of satisfaction was so darn ridiculously cute! Belly-to-back is just too easy now!

Week Five: First NYC Trip. You and I, and your buddy Jack, spent a very cold Saturday afternoon in the Village to visit Retta at her apartment. We had a party in her place...it *was* her half-birthday after all, where you drank milk and Mommy drank Dirty Hoes. But we all wore party hats! We will be back here more often for sure!

Week Six: Nemo. Not your first official snowstorm, but the first one that mattered! Snowstorm Nemo dumped eight inches in our backyard, but we steered clear of that for fear of yellow snow (thanks a lot Riley and Murphy)! However, Cousin Jenny brought her snow gear over to Grandma's, and together we made snow angels, climbed snow mountains to jump off, and did somersaults. Well, you didn't do the last, but you will.

Week Seven: Our Little Valentine. What has *not* happened this week, this being the week before you officially turn six months?! Let's see.... you are now: sitting up on your own, saying "Mama" (!) though you don't know to apply it to me, eating real food (carrots were a hit!), and others. And by others, I am referring to you "enjoying The Outfield," something that Daddy could not be happier about!

Dearest Quinn:

Is it not obvious that we are obsessed with you?

Love,
Mom and Dad.

xo

Photo via Rebekka Seale

Idea via Che & Fidel

Q52 - Week Two

Puppy Love

Quinn is developing habits. I joked with Neel the other day that it's so weird to see her developing her own thing. Our daughter has a thing! This week, it's rubbing a blankie on her face to help her sleep. If Puppy isn't available, Quinn will take her blanket and drape it over her entire face, which is enough to make me panic that she'll suffocate herself, knowing full well there are enough holes in the knit to not allow that to happen. 

What's become of me? I am a bit of a worrywart now. Ssh! Don't tell anyone. 

See all other Q52 posts here.

Q52 - Week One

Photo via Rebekka Seale 

Inspired by James of Bleubird Vintage, via Che & Fidel, I am taking on the challenge of shooting one picture of Quinn each week for the entire 2013 year. My attempt is entitled Q52. 

Doesn't appear to be much of a challenge considering I take a minimum of five photos A DAY of this beautiful baby girl, does it?! I have added to that challenge to have the photo represent a milestone, new habit or behavior, or interesting thing that Quinn has adopted in that particular week. Shouldn't be too hard considering she entered 2013 in her fourth month. She adopts new things every day! 

By posting these weekly images on a blog, I get to have an online journal of our baby girl's progress, and hope one day she can go back and see for herself.

Oh Quinn, you have completed my life with your squeals, grunts, and even gas!!

Week One

Quinn found her feet this week! I have been dreaming of this moment since her birth because I am pretty sure the feet-in-hands pose is about the cutest thing that exists. But leave it to Quinn to take it a step further and put that foot straight into her mouth. 

To see if she really is Mama's baby, it was suggested I put mashed potatoes on her toe and see how she likes that. She will LOVE it. Duh!

And a few of the outtakes...