My Christmas Wish List

I could seriously shop for myself year-long, but somehow everytime I go to write a wish list for myself every single thing I have wanted all year go right out of my head. Plus, there's something really intoxicating about buying gifts for a little one. So far Maddie has asked for stickers, paints and a purple tricycle (or treecle), but I seem to think that she wants a whole lot more. Like have you seen those Lalaloopsy dolls? Those things are so cute! And is it sad that I'm kind of wishing they made Children's Place clothes in adult sizes? I would love it if my wardrobe consisted in mix and match leggings (with skirts attached please) and graphic tees.

Anyway back to me. Here's what I finally came up with:

A short sleeve cardigan type thing (in grey or white) or a long sleep shawl like sweater (in any color). Yeah, I know this is really specific, but it seems like I've seen a million in stores and can't find any online. These two were at Old Navy -- which by the way, I really seem to be digging now, so an Old Navy or Gap gift card wouldn't be such a bad gift idea either!


Pajamma bottoms - nothing fancy, just a simple pair like Victoria Secret's (the graphic is a little intimidating!)


A book on Jackie Kennedy -- I'd kind of like to read this one, but truthfully I would probably never have a chance to listen to the dvds. So really any Jackie book would do.
It is the 50th anniversary of Breakfast at Tiffany's and you know I'm a fan!
Every Spring I read a Jane Austen book, and I have had a hankering for this one for a long time! These three are all obviously from Amazon and I do have a wishlist there.

This is purely a dream item but...

This makes me giggle. We currently have none of the Lost DVDs and we would like to eventually have all of them. So we might as well dream big.

Oh and I totally want these socks:


I do actually have an older wishlist here that I still would love some items from (I got the dinnerware, thanks J&J!)

Oh and here's one more pipe dream:



Yeah, it's $300 so I doubt Santa will drop that puppy down the chimney, but I'll just drop it out there in case I have any really rich secret admirers.

That was pretty impressive for not wanting anything, huh? It's amazing how your need for stuff just grows...

Maddie is short for...

Princess. That's what Maddie told me the other night.





In case there was any doubt.

After the struggle

We have a new sleep issue in the house! We've had at least a year of good napping so it definitely seemed time to mix things up a bit.



(Naptime on a nice peaceful day. Sometimes she just looks so angelic I can't help but snap a few pictures).

Over the past two months or so, naptime has devolved into a knockdown drag-out fight. She used to nap from 11:30-12ish until 2pm, now it takes until about 1-1:30 to get her to go down.*

Somedays I struggle back and try to make her nap. Bribes and threats have been heard in our house. Of course, days when there's a tight schedule are sure to include as much schedule disruption as possible and usually no naps and cranky people (I.e. Mommy).

After Thanksgiving I just decided to chill. I hate to say it but she may just not need a nap as much anymore (Though I do!) So I've just been letting her play a bit longer after lunch time and then coaxing her to sit quietly.

Today there was struggle with sitting quietly and then she fell asleep like this:


If that doesn't say it all.

*The kicker of course is that she only does this for me. My mom gets her down with no struggle. Rob drops her in her crib and says "see well." Maybe she sees me as the sucker, but she's always had big separation anxiety.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Thanks!

I found this cute idea for Thankful Turkeys here and decided that this would be perfect for us this year. Maddie and I went on a pinecone hunt, then we made feathers and labeled each feather with something that we were grateful for. Let's take a closer look at Maddie's shall we?

Stickers, Annie & Ian,Mommy, Daddy, G-Ma (Grandma), GG, Dodie (Technically, she said "people" but when I started listing people we knew she said uh-huh.), Kopeka, Polka Dots (this was a new one to me), Paints.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Fall!

Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Delish.... Ous.

I had one last Halloween urge left in my system and that was to make these chocolate doughnuts. So I made them last night with a very special helper. I unfortunately never got any pictures of the doughtnut maker as we were both quite the mess, but I do have two perfectly preserved flour handprints on my bedroom door to memorialize the occasion.

Here's what I have to share Martha Stewart is a genius and these treats were one of her best ideas. She probable did not make them on an electric oven though --not great for frying. Consequently my doughnuts are a bit on the crispy (read: burned) side. But they taste good.

Here's the recipe for Chocolate-Caramel Doughnuts Holes.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Trick or Treat

Oh, I am so late in posting this but here's a little Halloween wrap-up. Maddie was Tinkerbell this year. Her costume was lovingly made by her Grandma.






(Tink really loves Kitty!)


Dollar store wings!

And we took Maddie trick or treating for the first time this year. We live in a pretty ritzy neighborhood (uh, we aren't the ritzy ones though) -- so we thought hey, let's see how the other half trick or treats. It turns out, they do pretty well. Most houses we went to gave out 3 or 4 pieces of candy each!

Anyway, Maddie loved it. She tried to take the whole basket at the first house... And tried to go into their house (note: time to teach Maddie about Stranger Danger). All the neighbors loved her and she got some "croclate":




Maddie had some trouble eating a piece of gummy candy:


Yesterday we went for a walk on that same street and Mads sat down on the sidewalk and told me she wanted to go Trick or Treating.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone