Little Poppy Update

Well, well, well…. what can I say?  It appears that I love to put bows on my daughter.  Before she was born I said that I didn’t want anyone to give her bows.  And I still stand by saying that; I don't regret it.  I did not want people giving me those bows that are bigger than a baby’s head.  I know I'm too picky!  I am very particular about the bows I get for Ellis.  But I have found my niche y’all.  Back in April I mentioned that I was going to try out my first box subscription, Little Poppy Co, and let you know what I think.  Well here we are several months later and I LOVE it!!!!! I look forward to the beginning of the month soooo much!  Their bows are so stylish, petite, & crafted with amazing quality.  There are so many different styles and textures!  Ellis is always wearing them, as I’m sure you’ve seen if you follow me on Instagram.  Little Poppy Co uses a super soft nylon elastic that is lite and stretches with the child (and doesn't leave marks on your baby's head).  So I could argue that these are also a financially savvy choice since they last so long, right? ;-) If you’ve never heard of this box subscription and you need bows, I promise you that this is the place to go.  Don’t forget that they’re also great for gifts for Christmas, baby showers, etc. If you're interested in getting money off your first month email me (darbyhawley@gmail.com) and I can send you a discount code!

These are the bows we’ve gotten so far that I've been swooning over!!!:

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

Y’all I’m just dying to see what the December bows are!!!
Don't forget to contact me for a discount on your first month!

Obligatory Blogger Disclaimer: I was not paid for this review, and all opinions are 100% my own; however, if Little Poppy Co wants to start sponsoring me I’d enthusiastically agree!

Lady Ellis at 9 Months

I think by now we all know that I’m borderline obsessed with Grace Hill Photography.  But y’all, I have every reason to be completely enamored!  She has captured every single special moment of our family since 2009 (folks that’s getting close to a decade of special moments!)  If you haven’t scheduled a date for photos with her, I do not know what you could possibly be waiting for.  Come on, get it together! ;-)  Okay so after you schedule your appointment with her you can scroll through these pictures Grace Hill Photography took of my precious Lady Ellis at 9 months old.  Isn’t she a doll?!  This girl just makes me smile so much that my face hurts!  In some of these pictures you can see that Ellis is wearing my jewelry, a ring & a locket, from when I was a baby; it’s so neat to see her wearing them now :-)
Goodness I’m just in love with this little girl!

What I’m Lovin’ Wednesday: The PERFECT Boot

Y’all I haven’t shared a fashion-related favorite in a while.

But this. 

These boots. 

I’m in love!  

And I insist that you all get a pair!  Like now, go get these! 

These trendy ankle booties are the perfect combination of sweet and salty.  You’ve got the gorgeously craft crochet over the laces, mixed with the tough-girl boot; pure perfection.  And my sister noticed (folks, she has excellent attention to detail) that you don’t have to untie the laces/buckle to get in and out of these boots, you can just use the zipper.  I dare say: this is the perfect boot!  You can’t find something better. It just doesn’t exist.  Please get them so we can be twins.  I am going to be wearing these everyday for the remainder of the fall and winter, and maybe into the spring if I feel like it.  These boots…complete me ;-) (thank you Jerry McGuire)
You’re welcome friends. You’re, welcome :-) Obligatory Blogger Disclaimer: I was not paid for this review, and all opinions are 100% my own; however, if Mod Cloth wants to start sponsoring me I’d enthusiastically agree!

Sausage & Kale Fall Soup

This soup tastes like autumn harvest :-) You know that taste? I think you do.  Well this recipe is one that you must try this fall.  The flavors are so of the earth (does that make sense?) and healthy mostly healthy.  This soup is a deliciously light yet somehow savory dish that you can make in a single pot.  Cue the clapping and cheering! So try this soup and let me know what you think :-)

Ingredients:
4 slices of bacon, chopped
1 lb ground Italian sausage, I used medium but you could go mild or hot too
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp sea salt, or more for taste if you want
1 large sweet potato, cut into (1-inch ish) cubes
10-12 lil smokies, chopped
3 cups kale leaves (no stalk) chopped
6 cups (or 3 pints for you math people) organic chicken stock (I honestly used organic bouillon)
black pepper
1 pinch red pepper flakes
(edit since original post: I cooked 2 lbs of Italian sausage- one mild & one hot. I also added 4 cups of chicken stock to compensate for the extra meat and I let it simmer all afternoon.  I also added a can of black eyed peas at the end just long enough to warm up but not get squishy)

Directions:
1. In a stock pot cook bacon until crispy, and then add the sausage until browned.
2. To the pot, add onions, garlic, & salt.  Cook until the onions are translucent, and then add the chicken stock, sweet potato, & lil smokies.
3. Bring to a boil, and then turn down to a simmer. When the sweet potatoes are tender (about 10 minutes later), add the kale to wilt.  Season with sea salt, black pepper, & red pepper flakes.
4. Enjoy!

Hawley Peeps Monthly: Month Nine

Last month I felt a little pulling on my heart; some conviction.  I feel like I’m constantly complaining about the time, and while I do fight it struggle with time, I’m going to try to just embrace the fast-paced growth of these babies.  I want to redirect my focus to the joyful moments of each new chapter instead of constantly mourning the loss of the previous chapter.  It’s going to be hard so I’m not promising anything, except that I will try lol So here we are at another milestone.  Another month of growth and new things.  I’m pretty sure this is just going to back-fire one day, but for now, I just love comparing these two.  Obviously not in a “who is my favorite” way, but I just think that it is so neat to compare when each one decides to do a new “trick” for the first time.  The first for each new “trick” always blesses my mama heart.

Month 1 ~ Month 2 ~ Month 3 ~ Month 4 ~ Month 5 ~ Month 6 ~ Month 7 ~ Month 8 Month Nine- Dutch

• You had your first mum-mum (rice cracker thing)
• Standing on his own all the time by 2/2/15
• Standing in his crib when he is ready to get up after naps
• Loves making "music" with the dog bowls
• 1st bloody nose (2/7/15)
• Started walking with a walker on 2/6/15
• Clapping on command and when happy 2/5/15
• Loves to help me buckle him into his bucket or high chair
• Likes to hold hands in the car with mama
• Enjoys feeding himself with a spoon
• 1st valentines day
• 2/15 1st sweet treat, daddy gave him a lick of his doughnut filling. Dutch was a big fan :-)
• Likes to flip things, open doors, flip book pages, flip puzzle pieces
• Bit mama while nursing for the first time 2/20
• 3rd ear infection (maybe 2nd never healed fully), temperature got to 103.4, weighs 18 lbs 13 oz on 2/19
• Can help dress himself in the morning
• Sleeps on his knees with his booty in the air –> cutest thing ever!
• Definitely a morning baby- so smiley and loves to talk and sing (just like his daddy!)
• Diagnosed with a hemangioma on his back
• Daddy gave him his first sip of carbonation with Perrier
• Prefers to feed himself with a spoon than for me to do it
• Second tooth is getting ready to come in (actually cut this tooth on 2/27/15)
• Likes to hand me his wipes when he's being changed.  He’s a very good helper
• Likes to "feed" me with his spoon
• 1st pickle- McClures from Brooklyn...his facial response was priceless
• Likes to shut the microwave door

Month Nine- Ellis

• You will follow me around the house now with your army crawl.  You don't like to separated from mama so you follow me with your crawl
• I had a feeling that you weren't feeling well.  Initially I just thought it was teething, but it became something more.  You were biting me (for the first time) and uncomfortable; something was off.  You were diagnosed with Thrush on your tonsils (and it spread to me).  At your doctors appointment you were 17 lbs.  It seems like, unlike your brother but much like your mother, you do not like taking medicine.
• You have the sweetest voice as you "talk" to mama
• We might have to move you to a crib or pack and play soon for naps because you're starting to get a little more adventurous with your crawling and I don't want you to fall off the bed.
• You are starting to sit up on your own now and I think you love that you can sit and see things that are going on around you.  You can't quite put yourself in a sitting position and you definitely can't start crawling from that position, so you're a little stuck in one place but you like sitting up and looking around.
• On 9/28/16 you took your first nap in the pack-n-play (in our room).  First time not sleeping in mama & daddy's bed.  The nap lasted about 45 seconds (haha).  We tried again later in the afternoon and it took you about 10 minutes to fall asleep but you slept for 2 hours. From then on you’ve done great for naps there.  You still sleep at night tucked in with mama.
• Ellis is standing really well for long periods of time, but not cruising yet
• Daddy put together the exersaucer and you love it!
• On 10/2/16 you surprised us by pulling up on a box of oatmeal.  You stood for several minutes on your feet.  I am not ready for this lol
• You are really entertained by the trash can in the bathroom.  I can’t keep you away from it.  When you want something you are very persistent.
• You’re still a big snuggler and love to be touched.  I think it might be your love language.  You like to be with mama at all times.
• As a result of your Thrush at the beginning of the month you developed your first yeast infection.  I apologize sweet girl that it took me a while to know what was going on.  But once we figured it out we got it taken care of quickly. Thank goodness!
• You’re starting to rocking on your hands and knees
• You’re getting into cabinets in the kitchen.  You love playing with the tupperware and chip clips.
• Ellis has started clapping on command.
• Slowly but surely you’re starting to reach for daddy to hold you
• You went to your first Homecoming tailgate at HBU.  You were passed around and everyone snuggled with you, so of course you were a big fan.

A Peanuts Halloween

Halloween was so fun this year, and completely different from the past.  This was the first year Dutch could understand what was going on so it was really to fun to watch him trick-or-treat.  We spent the morning at the neighborhood fall festival, had a nap, ate our traditional Halloween pizza, and then were ready for trick-or-treating in the evening.  Since Charlie Brown is a BIG deal right now in our house to our sweet little 2 year old, Dutch went as Charlie Brown and he carried his bag “filled with rocks” (like the Charlie Brown movie) and a small Snoopy stuffed animal.  Ellis went as Woodstock from Peanuts.  We  went to about 5 houses before coming home and looking through the loot.  The next morning when I went to get Dutch out of bed, he said, "Mama, more candy today?"  I think it's safe to say that he was a big fan of the holiday this year :-)

Just for reference here was Halloween 2014 and 2015

Of course I had to have a comparison picture in our skeleton wear from 2013, 2014, 2015, & 2016!

I hope everyone had a great Halloween with lots of treats and no tricks!