{Take My Eyes But Not My Cheese}

My poor lil' bubs! As seen with some help from a photo editing app that makes it a bit more red + noticeable you can see that lil' man is having some skin issues. SO to the ped we went yesterday and come to find out this is likely a food allergy via my milk. JOY!

Now don't be jealous but I have a mandatory diet now that limits me to basically fresh meat, vegetables and fruit. Guidelines are no wheat {is there even any food that does not contain wheat?!}, nuts {WAIT isn't this a healthy snack}, fish {goodbye my beloved sushi}, eggs {weekend breakfast is gonna blow} and diary {WHAT?! Seriously!? I'm known as the mac and cheese connoisseur.} 

HELP. ME. 

No more Chipotle tortillas {I am a burrito girl but now must convert to the bowl} no more delicious Starbucks treats behind the glass {my lemon pound cake...I'm missing you already.} With my handy journal I'll be tracking my foods to ENSURE I'm sticking with this. 

I had a short stint with this diet when Reegan was 8 weeks old but it turned out to be her vesicoureteral reflux condition. BUT Reegan had what we thought was gas and as you can see Fletch has a whole diff sitch going on...plus some gas too. But yeah this skin issue is no bueno!

Here is the thing people I'm not that girl. The kind that orders salads, nibbles at her food daintily...I could be compared to Garfield and how do you think Garfield would feel if you told him he could not have lasagna?! So yeah this will be a challenge, there will be frustration and FOR SURE some tears BUT if it helps my babe then I'm ALL IN!!!

So I welcome your recipes, suggestions, advice and encouragement for the next 2-4 week to possibly a year. Another struggle on My Journey to 30...surprise, surprise! OK OK I'll quit kicking + screaming and won't feel sorry for myself...after all it's just food. Who needs it right?! Wait what! ;)

In addition to the food end of this Fletcher now gets drip dry baths every 3-4 days rather than daily. He gets two moisturizing sessions with fragrance + color free lotion and oil. We will also be changing our laundry soap + softener. We are using his soft brush on his scalp every day. AND he has a leaking tear duct {right eye} so that sucker gets massaged twice daily which he HATES! LOL! But as I said before...I'm all in! :)

  

{What is in a Name?!}

I think that Shakespeare had it right....you know a rose by any other name would smell as sweet. Yada yada yada. Did I just yada yada uada Shakespeare?! hmmm...prob one of those people you don't pull a Costanza on. LOL! 

ANYWAY the point of this post would be baby names. Parents, when selecting a baby name it's seriously the MOST important + tedious process. Racking your brain + racking your brain + bickering with your spouse + racking your brain....then the clouds part, the heavens shine down and BOOM a name of the wee one is decided upon. Honestly, I think to myself it's important it really is but it's not everything. 

How did Fletcher get his name? SUPER meaningful + so much thought + racking our brains went into this. Reegan's babysitter lives in Fletcher Heights {will upload proof very soon.} Ahhhhh Hahaha! So yeah like all the rents out there we had a list of top names. I came up with Reegan Taylor Harding SO daddy selected Fletcher Wayne Harding. And CHHHECK that was that.

Fletcher was added to the list by moi but can I be honest? It wasn't my number one choice. We had Ryder, Remington, Anders, Kellan, Cullen, and Collins. But let me tell you why none of those work.

Ryder Harding - UMMM if you can't figure this one out I don't know what to say about that. He would be either high-fived constantly by the high school boys or be the laughing stock. 

Remington - Reegan can't say it...daddy and I were recently talking about this topic and we tested Reegan so that's how I know this...plus a family of R's is cute but not our/my thing.

Anders - WAS OUR FINAL PICK then Anders Behring Breivik the Norway camp shooter changed that on us. Very sad! :(

Kellen, Cullen, Collins - LOVE them all but yeah guess daddy wasn't sold.

Well guess what?! Taking pics of my smile turkey {like that new nickname? It's because he is ALWAYS smiling and look at that gobbler! LOL!} I labeled it Faces of Fletch and I thought to myself he truly is a Fletcher...not a Ryder or Remington or Anders. His name fits him. It's perfect just like amazing, wonderful him. 

Anyway I just wanted to share my thoughts on this topic + share the Fletcher name origination + let you see his cutie mug {which face is your fav?! Ummm bottom left?! I can't, I just can't!!! Looking at it warrants some serious laughter!}

"Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you." Jeremiah 1:5

{My Journey to 30}

So I always think + talk about how I need to get it together and get things organized + refine my system BUT it's a struggle to find balance with streamlining my life and taking the time to appreciate + love + play with my children that are growing at the speed of light. 

When I was younger {I know I'm still a baby} I would talk with friends about kids + life plans + etc. and it seemed like everything had to be figured out by age 30. 

How was that number selected...I HAVE NO IDEA! 

But it wasn't just me that had this target number in my head so I'm thinking it's probably pretty common. Well imagine how I'm feeling now that life is more chaotic than ever + some life decisions are still undecided and 30 is right around the corner.

So I welcome you to My Journey to 30 {pretty sure there is a movie out there like this now...note to self to go check that out.} Don't get me wrong people!!!...I don't feel like life ends at 30 or anything but why not use this as an excuse to amp up my efforts to get things together?! 

My initial efforts list include:

1 become more dedicated to Him:
I have been involved in church my whole life but as of late religion has taken a back seat to my busy life which is a big problem. I have always found such comfort when I'm actively involved in church and bring Him to the forefront. I think its honestly that I feel I have been so blessed...which is so backwards because this of course should be the main reason to give thanks + serve + pray + read the good word. Well at this point it's not just for me it's for my family.  

2 making time for myself: 
refine my design skills...maybe take a course?!

dailyish pics are part of this effort to hold me accountable on actually getting ready + putting myself together for the day {see below.}

making a fitness routine {OK I def saw this in that movie preview...wishing I started this before said movie}

taking my vitamins {this is silly to add in here but hey it's my list so mahhhhhh!}

refining my mommy look more {I want my kiddos to be proud of me in that I actually look + dressed like I have it together somewhat...my wardrobe is last on the list of things to improve on normally but it needs HELP!}

3 supporting my husband + best friend: 
OLIVE JUICE. making sure that everyday he knows he is so loved by yours truly. be it a note, an action, some yummy grub, or just a GOOD kiss + an I LOVE YOU!

communication is key. we always do pretty good in this department but there is room for improvement.

taking time out for us...movies movies movies are our thing. We love them and we have been making a solid effort to get out kid free and do us.

a way to a man's heart is through is stomach and my hubs LOVES him some good food...so I must cook more and make it good.plus tons of blogs i love + pinterest always have excellent recipes to try. :)

staying so fresh and so clean...the house that is. We are trying so hard to organize and create a system at home. this is the BIGGIE hurdle that we are trying to jump + conquer. not sure if this will ever happen but I would LOVE for it to happen...I think I need to be a person on a show where they come in and get it all done for me...hmmmmm.note to self look into shows + requirements. LOL! JK!


4 kidlets:
less scolding and more silliness. that is it.

for your sake I'm cutting it off here. I'm sure I've lost most of my readers + there is more but I will come back to it next week...because this post was supposed to go out last week. UGH! 


Alright well I hope you are ready for the ride because this lil journey is gonna be fun!

PICTURES: at work early one day WOOT WOOT + fakish smile while hanging in Reegan's room + my TRUE laughing face...not my fav + with my lil man.

{Twinkle}

Twinkle. This is one of the few songs that Reegan will ask for during nap time, bedtime, etc. Twinkle {Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star}, Happy {You Are My Sunshine}, Jesus {Jesus Loves Me This I Know}, etc..she will say one of these titles or list each one off interrupting your singing until she finally settled on one. Well tonight there was no Twinkle, no Happy, none of the songs. Tonight Reegan went to bed like a big girl. I laid her in her crib and told her it was time to go to bed. She chatted for a little bit, put her feet in the air and let them crash down with a thud on her mattress {I remember doing this when I was younger too}, tossed + turned a bit, wiggled her feet through the slates in her crib and finally she was OUT! I love that my baby girl is taking the steps that she needs to in life but part of me {and daddy} would be happy to rock her to sleep for as long as she would let us. I know that this isn't the last time I get to rock her to sleep but it just makes me realize, once again, how very fast she/they are growing. :(


Enjoy her long lashes and lil' tootsies in this pic of her first night going to bed BIG GIRL style! ;)


xo - {Rache}

{Watch Fletcher Grow - 2 O'Clock Month}

It's that TIME again! Month two just a lil' late just as month one was. SHEESH! Well OK at least it's here now. ;) Also don't you love all my clock + time references...cheese ball by nature. Anyway this months pic is actually of Fletcher laughing. I found if I do a creepy growl at him he does a lil' gasp and then lets out a big laugh. 

Plus how could I not show off his growing man boobies and his double chin {mommy loves you baby!!!} 

Also I had to throw in the previous month for ease of comparison and one ADORBS pic that ALMOST made the two month cut. ;)

Enjoy our growing boy!

xo - {Rache}

{Sweet Scarlett}

Here are some pictures of my niece, our Little Miss Sunshine! She truly is a little ray of light. 

I love everything about her. 

Her double + dimpled chin + her chubby cheeks + her full head of hair + even her lil' monkey cry as I call it. 

She is PERFECTION! 

These are only a SMALL sample of the mass amounts of pictures that I took of her in a weeks time. I tried to make them uniform by collaging them with a fun puff design...might be seen again on a birth announcement soon. Wink wink!

Enjoy the new, angel baby!

xo - {Rache}

 

{Happy Birthday + Mother's Day II}

Well it was certainly a day for the books! As some...well most of you know we were just blessed to have a new member added to the family, my niece Scarlett Elizabeth Stevens. 

I was witness as she made her way into the world on May 11th {mine + Heather's birthday} just a couple days before Mother's Day. How different it was to be on the flip side of the birthing experience. I can't describe the overwhelming rush of emotions {in total awe} that came once that little baby girl took her first breath + cry outside the womb. That gaze of hers into my sister, her mother's eyes...it's something I could NEVER forget.  

I was totally lost in the moment and I think I might have been saying she was so sweet over and over. I of course could take tons of pics on auto pilot and did so but I certainly was taking every second in. Tears were a plenty as our lil' chubby wonder was cleaned up and passed around for all of us to love on.


Side story: It's likely I will be telling this story to any person that might glance my way at the grocery store or in any small talk situation for the rest of my life. SO Heather and I share a birthday {DUH!} which is May 11th, as I just informed you Scarlett was born on May 11th. Kinda awesome right....there's more. Our husbands {who are not identical twins} share the same birthday on August 12th. They are six years apart but yeah it's the same day. My daughter came into the world on the boys birthday. SOOOO between us, our husbands and our first borns we all share two birthdays. It's pretty crazy six family members on two days. More similiarities we both had first born girls, they both are A+ blood type and also both scored a 10 on their Apgar Test because they are stunnas! ;) Then there is Mr. Fletch who was almost born on Valentine's Day but missed it by 16 minutes...but he is still my lil baby LOVE! He's the lucky one that gets a day all to himself. :)

I'm, as always, just feeling super blessed for these little angels in our lives. How amazing that not only has He given us each other but intertwined us in such a special, unique way. I cherish these times more than anyone could comprehend. 

They are my heart...they are my home...they are my everything. What a spectacular birthday and Mother's Day it was this year. 

Thanks be to Him. 

{Reegan + Fletcher Comparison}

Brought to you by auntie Heather who still had this picture of Reegan taken by her cell. When I saw this pic of Fletcher it reminded me of Heather's pic. She finally found + sent it to me today and voila!...a comparison can be viewed by all! :)

They look so much a like - (minus) that Reegan has a few pounds on Fletch. But I think he is def going to outweigh her in the future! Momma loves her lil' tub! :)

Enjoy!

xo - {Rache}

{Henry's Red Egg and Ginger Party}

We Harding's were so excited + honored to be invited to attend Henry Erickson's Red Egg and Ginger Party. When we got the evite I thought YES to anything to celebrate one of the cutest babies here on God's green earth. Next was to figure out what this celebration was all about. See below:

In Chinese culture, a baby'sfirst month birthday calls for a celebration. Proud parentsintroduce their latest addition to friends and relatives by holding a redegg and ginger party. Traditionally, the baby's name is also announced at thistime.

It was our first celebration of this type and I just COULDN'T wait and got working right away to prepare our custom gifts for the lil' man.

I decided on two crochet red eggs for him to remember the day + play with as a baby. AND some custom baby block handmade by moi. 

SIDETRACK: Reegan got this very cool year of the Tiger box when she was a baby....sooo I wanted to add the year of the dragon into the mix on his baby blocks.

So they had Henry's name, his stats, family pictures, year of the dragon picture, words describing year of the dragon babes and abc + 123. What a labor of love these lil' blocks were...felt bad that it was my first go at it and it was a gift for someone. :/ Some of the papers weren't as sturdy as I wanted even after sealing them with Mod Podge Spray. But luckily Henry's momma (Vanessa + my Filthy Friday buddy + texting friend + so much more) is one crafty lady so I have faith that those blocks will be repaired if needed with no problem. 

FAST FORWARD: What a beautiful day it was at the party. Perfect weather + delish food + wonderful people (I spilled a soda ALL OVER Judy's (the grandma) floor and she was such a great hostess and handled it all + lil' man was cute as ever!

There was a pool there and OF COURSE my lil' diva doll some how weaseled her way in...started with her feet but them somehow she was in her diap and bloomers on the pool step. Haha! On the other end of the spectrum Fletcher pretty much slept through the whole extravaganza. LOL! But it was great relaxing with the Erickson's + some of Ryan's other frat brothers + new family members and friends we met! All I have to say is that if this is what Red Egg Parties are all about I want to attend one weekly! LOL!

Enjoy the pics of our fun gifts + the day. SADLY, I don't have any of Henry...SHEESH! As you can imagine the lil' man was hard to get my hands on (didn't happen) much less to get a peak at. :/ I have told his momma already that I'm hogging him next time I see him. :)

xo - {Rache}

{Post Worthy Pics}

{Terrible...Terribly Wonderful}

Well it happened! Reegan started to get into watching TV...and No! That is not what is terribly wonderful. She is starting to gain independence. It convienient sure, but it makes me nervous because she is starting to grow up faster and faster.


Last night Ryan and I were in the garage for a couple minutes and I propped the door open expecting her to cry and run around the corner when she realized we were gone but that never came. She kept herself busy watching TV. I couldn't help but think this morning that before I know it I will be able to get ready for work every morning GAURENTEED and even get a full night of sleep. I was texting my hubs about it...how I can + can't wait for this time. He said he wants them to stay young. 


I can't help but look forward to new adventures + stages that are coming in the future. But the thought of leaving these stages behind is HEARTBREAKING! I practically breakdown in tears when I look at Reegan's baby pics and she isn't even two yet. How will I cope when she is off to school, starts to drive, goes to prom, gets married, etc.?! 


So this brings me to the terrible...terribly WONDERFUL part. As a fairly new parent of two I can only describe it as utter chaos. I get sidetracked, distracted, scatter brained and I feel more disorganized than I have in my entire life. My wheels spin and I have found myself admitting to others that I don't think I'm good at any one thing anymore. And you know what it's terrible!...TERRIBLY WONDERFUL. Because rather than sitting around cleaning a junk drawer or cleaning my grout with a toothbrush I'm watching a two month old develop at lightening speed and teaching my almost two year old how to brush her teeth. So the utter chaos that is my current life is something I wouldn't trade for the world and will be something I will wish for in the future. :)


xo - {Rache}


PS Reegan is dancing to a commercial with a lil banana and his dad...he's singing banana na na na na na na na na! She made us watch this at least 10 times in a row. LOL!


PSS HOW HILAR IS FLECTHER'S FACE?!

{Joy from My Boy}

So I hope you enjoy my Dr. Heuss {Seuss + Harding} moment...because writing like this could only be appreciated by those 3 and under but at least I gave it a go. ;)

Enjoy!

xo - {Rache}

That teeny, tiny nose,

Lips that are full and squishy,

The creases in your toes,

A sweet face that is oh so kissy,

Dimples on elbows, knuckles, & knees so chubby,

Dreamy eyelashes so long,

Skin so soft and peach fuzzy,

A smile when I sing you a song,

I adore that lil bottom lovey,

Is that so wrong? ;)

Every single roll that melts my heart,

Each adorable and pointy ear,

Fingers that squeeze tight then spread apart,

Those tubby lil wrists my dear,

The moment I looked in those blue eyes was the start,

These things I will remember forever my boy,

How everything about you brought me joy!

{Filthy Fridays}

Sink or swim? Usually sinking...no drowning in what seems to be never ending housework. Don't get me wrong sometimes I actually enjoy spending time scrubbing la casa down but my main issue is time! As my Filthy Friday partner in crime mentioned in her post today...your thinking rather than blogging weekly about a messy house just freaking clean it. :/ WELLLL I'm so glad you bring that up. My blog posts come to you via cell while I am either A. Pumping or B. Feeding Fletcher with a bottle in one hand and blogging with the free hand. Multi tasking at its finest! So when a post has just gone out you might wonder weather I'm pumpin it or dumpin it in Fletcher's mouth (TMI!) I know! LOL!


So yeah here are my awesome functioning (errr maybe not all of them) sinks! I think 1 of 4 being clean is pretty good and that is the guest bathroom so if you come over to our house don't fret...you're all set! ;) As you can see in the pic of my master sink we have cleaning supplies...those were no doubt there last time I was cleaning and unfortunately got side tracked and never finished the countertop. :( And bottles?! We've got your bottles in our kitchen sink. The kids bathroom is covered in their wash clothes from bath time that are drying.


So next time you are at your sink whether it be clean or messy you can think of me and know that at the Harding household we are sinkin like the Titanic. :( But what causes our messy sinks?!


My Master = mommy is playing/feeding/singing/dancing with babies rather than getting ready or picking up my sink area


The Kitchen = happy, healthy and full bellied babies


The kiddies = Fun bath times


The guest = our guests have it together and keep their sink clean! LOL!


xo -{Rache}