cinnamon shore

for our little beach getaway we headed down to cinnamon shore.  we had heard only praises about this place and it did not disappoint.  and with it being only a 6 hour drive from fort worth...i'm in.  there's something very comforting to me to pack literally everything we own when traveling with a little one.  i like to be prepared.  here's a hodge podge of camera and iphone pictures from our stay.

 

we fell in love with the architecture of cinnamon shores and our rental looked like it fell out of coastal living (that top one was not our rental but don't you just love the rocking chair with a blanket ready to go).  

see what i mean...we packed it all!!

our days were pretty much pool to beach then beach to pool.  something so wonderful about a trip with no agenda.

we came home with one worn out beach bum.  we can't wait to go back next year.  such a great time getting to celebrate 30 years with the ones who hold my heart.

i should mention that all though the puggies didn't join in they had a wonderful time at their fur resort giving them a run for their money.  i'm pretty sure i heard clapping and cheering when we left after picking them up.

30

I turned 30 last week. 

{Gasp} 

To help lessen the blow of turning 30 we spent it at the beach.  That definitely helped.  Earlier this year boy had mentioned doing a party to celebrate my birthday, but I'm just not a huge fan of being the center of attention so I told him all I really want for my birthday is to take Declan to the beach for the first time.  So that's what we did.  Making it even better, my parents joined us to.  So, we loaded up and drove down last week with literally every baby item we own packed in the car and spent the week soaking up the sun and eating sand (guess which one of us that was).  I'll be back sharing some more of our trip. 

As you can see, a relaxing trip to the beach can be so exhausting.  Hands down best birthday!

declan & big daddy

first mother's day

Whether you're a mama with 50 years of motherhood under your belt, a new mama, maybe even a mama to be, or a mama with some four legged fur babies I hope you felt the love and Happy Belated Mother's day to you.

 (Declan's gift to grandma...butterfly footprint flower pot)

It's tough work y'all.  And tiring.  Real tiring (hence why this blog post is like 3 days late).  I love this kid more than I can anything, but I am just so gosh darn exhausted.  I always promised myself I wouldn't play the mommy comparison game, but in today's world with the blogs and just everything being so "in your face" it's really hard to take it in and not go "um excuse how do you have it all together?"  Because it's a blessing if I get a shower in before noon and a round of high fives if no one screams at me from the other side of the glass shower door.

I have a whole new appreciation for you mamas after these last nine months, so I really do hope you got a much deserved nap this past weekend.  I had an amazing first mother's day.  The whole day was a surprise starting off with me getting to sleep in then some family time in the morning.  We then dropped Declan off at my parent's.  At first, I was a little taken back that Declan wouldn't be joining us, but hubs goes "you desperately need a break".  Oh how right he is.  So we spent the afternoon relaxing at the Botanical Gardens and dining at my favorite lunch spot Panera.  Simple yet perfect afternoon date with the hubs.   Then we headed back to my parent's for dinner. 

I may be running on fumes and my shirt is covered in snot, drool and Lord knows what else, but oh how worth it to wake up to this sweetness every day that made me a mom.

 (sucking on his big toe...the kid is ubber talented I tell you)

swim lessons

This little guy just graduated from his first swim lessons.  We signed up for a parent/child class at the YMCA last month and for the whole month we went every Saturday morning bright and early.  It was an awesome baby class that was really about getting him comfortable in the water.  In our eyes, it's never too early and we learned a lot of safety techniques to work on to this summer.  He's definitely a water baby and loved it.  I contemplated signing him up again this month just for the post swim lesson naps.  This mama got a lot done on Saturday afternoons.

A lot of the babies struggled with the floating part of the class.  Not this guy.  Nailed it.  Give this guy an umbrella drink with a straw and he's set for summer.