weekend recap.

we had a fun weekend here in the FoFandee household: a little relaxing, a little productiveness, and lots of sunshine and high temps. let's recap, shall we? 

on Friday morning, Mr. Ronin had his 9 month wellness check up. Sean left work for a bit to come with us to the appointment. little dude is super healthy and remaining steady in the 25th percentile for his age. he now weighs 18lbs 14oz and is 28 inches long - such a long and lanky boy! I didn't really have any questions for our pediatrician this month, so the appointment went pretty quickly. he did have to get one vaccine (hepB), which was NOT fun, obviously. he screamed bloody murder, but luckily, I had a nice big bottle ready for him afterward. 

oh, and I haven't even taken his 9 month photos yet, because this squirmy seal will NOT stay on his back. he screams bloody murder when I change his diaper or try to get him dressed, so laying on his back for photos is not really an option right now, haha. little punk.

since the weather was so nice, we spent the rest of the afternoon out on the patio. Sean came home from work and grilled some pork chops and after dinner, it was time to start the sleep learning. the program we're following noted that it would probably take an hour for him to fall asleep on the first night, and while it doesn't sound like a long time, hearing a baby cry for an hour is absolutely heartbreaking. I will elaborate more on our experience so far, but it's going surprisingly well! 

on Saturday, we spent a majority of the day doing typical cleaning around the house, and then we met up with Sean's parent's to enjoy some crabs & cold beer in Annapolis. the crabs were huge and heavy, but Ronin was kinda sick of being a highchair after a while, so we took turns holding him while the other ate. 

I hosted our monthly book club meeting at my house on Sunday. although there were only 6 of us, we had a great time just chatting (barely about the book, ha!) and enjoying some yummy food. after the ladies left, we headed out to Target to pick up a few a bunch of things, including another bathing suit for the mister and some paper goods for his birthday party. no pictures from Sunday, but it was a nice day. :) 

hope your weekend was fun! we've been having some great weather here in Maryland, albeit, a bit on the HOT side. that just means we get some early pool days! woohoo! 

round up: summer style for mamas.

now that I'm down about 20lbs below my pre-pregnancy weight, I'm having a lot of fun shopping for summer clothes. I actually bought a pair of actual shorts (aka not bermuda shorts) for the first time a few weeks ago. it's fun to shop for clothes now that I like the way I look... for the most part. I still have a lot of work to do, but I'm feeling more confident than I have in a long time. 

I'm adding a lot of small patterns and stripes to my closet (nothing new there), along with some fun colors of the season: coral, mint, navy, yellow (of the neon and mustard variety), aqua, and orange. since I will be chasing around a mobile baby and dealing with Maryland humidity, I'm all about simplicity - printed tanks, colored shorts/jeans and comfortable dresses. 

dresses: one | two | three | four | five | six

swimwear: one | two | three | four | five | six | seven | eight

tops: one | two | three

bottoms: four | five | six


what summer trends are you loving this year?

our long weekend (in photos).

we had such a great weekend! Sean took off work on Thursday and Friday to get some things done around the house since the weather was supposed to be perfect. 

on Thursday, we spent most of the day outside - he cut the grass and dug out my garden bed while I hung out with Ronin on the patio and built our raised bed for fruits and veggies. we've had this thing in our garage since the fall of 2011. I wanted to plant vegetables last year, but since I was pregnant, I knew that I wouldn't have the energy to tend to the garden, so we put it off until this year. I was pretty proud of myself for putting it together solo... even if it did take me a few hours since I was working with an 8 month old's schedule. ;)

raised garden bed

outdoor rug

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Friday was spent cleaning around the house and finishing some indoor projects. we did get out of the house to go to lunch with Sean's dad and run to Target for a few things. we had lunch at Gordon Biersch, so a beer was necessary. I mean, when is it not?

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I co-hosted a baby shower on Saturday for one of my friends and it was SO much fun. we've been planning for months and I've been busy with DIYing a lot of the decor for the past few weeks. it was a wonderful day, and baby Tucker is surrounded by love already. 

also? it felt amazing to get all dolled up for once. and to be baby free for an entire afternoon, ha!

striped dress
nude heels

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today was a productive day around the house. Sean finished painting the trim and touch ups in the nursery (yes, the nursery. the room where Ronin is supposed to be sleeping. he is 8 months old and we're finally finishing it) in the morning, and then he took over baby duty while I got the fruits & vegetables planted. I had to run out for more soil, but once I had enough, it only took me maybe 2 hours to get everything planted. I chose veggies based on what we would actually eat and what seems to do well in our area (according to recommendations from friends & family). I planted cucumber, yellow squash, zucchini, string beans, bell peppers (yellow, orange, and red), tomatoes, strawberries, and cantaloupe. can't wait to see how they do! 

oh, and I celebrated Cinco de Mayo by drinking beer while gardening. naturally. 

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I hope you all had a fantastic weekend! I'll be back this week with a post detailing the DIY baby shower decor (hopefully) and a Mother's Day wishlist. 

Friday loves... on Monday.

THANKS Blogger, for not posting my scheduled Friday Loves post on... uh... Friday. you whore.

I attended a sponsored blogger meetup this week, 

and thought I'd share two new (to me) blogs that I've been enjoying: 

Air Force Wife Life

Double The Fun

Cammo Style Love

these shorts from Gap. - for Ronin, duh. but I'd rock a pair too if they came in my size. 

husband sent me this video and I about died laughing.

different ways to use washi tape. - I really should get some of this stuff. 

Small Fry featured a new shop for boys. - adorable duds for your dudes!

Lucy's birth story. - grab the tissues. 

round up: summer style for baby boys.

I started stocking up on Ronin's summer wardrobe before he was even born. I couldn't help but picture my little seal decked out in khaki shorts, little tanks, and one piece rompers. now that the weather is finally starting to warm up on the East Coast, I'm adding even more summer staples to his closet. 

I love to pick out styles that I would wear myself - in fact, I may have chosen a few of these items based on the idea of matching outfits with me, haha. I have a neon yellow striped shirt that I can''t wait to throw on while dressing him in the first romper. 

I've also been eyeing up some swimwear for pool days with our BFF and the beach trip we're planning for late summer. so here's a peek at what I'm loving this season... a few of which I've picked up for my dude. 

one : two : three : four : five : six

one : two : three : four : five : six : seven : eight

one : two : three : four : five : six : seven : eight : nine

am I the only one who LOVES dressing a little boy? don't get me wrong, I definitely swoon at the little dresses every time I peruse through Target. but honestly, I prefer skulls and sharks over pink bows any day. who says dressing a boy isn't fun? not this mama!

round up: favorite small shops for babes!

it's no secret that I love Etsy, so it should come as no surprise that when it comes to buying unique items for Ronin, Etsy is my number one place to go. however, I have discovered a few other handmade shops along the way thanks to the easy networking of Instagram. and you have to admit, there's something incredibly rewarding about supporting small businesses. here's a little roundup of some of my favorite shops for babies.  

1 U.S. Wood Toys - adorable wooden toys made right here in DC. 

2 Little Hip Squeaks - baby blankets and headbands in fresh prints and fun colors.
3 Ajalor - vintage inspired handmade baby shoes. 
4 Two Giggles - modern baby books and journals. 
5 TrulySanctuary - eclectic, hip, and witty printed onesies (kids & adult sizes too). 
6 Smiling Tree Toys - personalized wooden toys, puzzles, teethers, nursery decor, etc.
7 LittleNestBox - colorful mobiles and garlands - customized to match your decor.
8 Juniper Wilde - sophisticated, eco-friendly decor and other products for kids. 
9 Candy Kirby Designs - organic baby leggings and blankets in stylish patterns. 

round up: birthday wishlist!

there are only 9 days until my birthday! I usually start the count down a few months before now, but then life happened and I forgot I even had a birthday. kids, I tell ya.

I'm a pretty big fan of making wish lists, and the celebration of my birth is no exception. these are just a few things I'm lusting over lately. maybe I'll get lucky and see something on this list in my house in a little over a week.

1. stella & dot necklace. 

2. timi & leslie diaper bag. 

see also: I am two outings away from throwing my POS Skip Hop Versa out the window. 

3. target lampshade. 

4. maxi dress (also target).

5. fine one one cheek color by benefit. 

6. nate berkus wooden box. 

I'm big on hiding crap in boxes. it's better if they're cute. 

7. "you are loved" print. 

this is actually for Ronin's room. 

confession? I actually had a LOT more to add to this list, but then I realized that it was all shit for Ronin - cloth diapers, a diaper sprayer, an activity center, etc. 

welcome to my life as a mom.  

31 week bump and a shower dress (or two!)

after restarting my phone, my camera worked again. stupid POS. anyway, took these this morning at 31 weeks, 1 day. I still find it amusing that I'm only going to get bigger from here on out, haha. my poor pelvis is in for a treat! 

now, I need your help, folks. 

I bought two possible dresses to wear to my shower this weekend. 

the navy blue one (with white polka dots) is the one I originally wanted, but they didn't have my size in the store, so I bought the black one (with white polka dots) instead. 

but then when I found the navy dress in my size online, I figured I'd go ahead and order it and return the one I don't wear. sometimes I'm smart.

I'm also thinking if I do end up wearing the navy dress, I'll use the yellow belt with it instead of the red, since navy & yellow are two nursery colors, and I'm pretty sure they are included in the shower decor. the navy dress is more of a structured fabric, while the black one is more slinky. they both fit and look great.

opinions? thoughts? cats? Bueller?

please note that my pregnant ass will NOT be in heels. 

baby Q bump watch - week 30

you guys. I feel like I just found out I was pregnant yesterday, and now I'm only 10 weeks away (maybe less) from D-day. dear time, please slow down, cause Mama has too much shit left to do.

I feel like we (meaning the boy and myself) went through a growth spurt in the last week. I was trying on dresses over the weekend for my baby shower and I just could not believe how big my belly was. I felt like it had doubled in size in just a matter of days.

how far along? 

30 weeks.

how big is the baby? 

according to Baby Center, Ronin weighs almost 3lbs, measures about 15.7 inches long, and is the size of a head of cabbage (or a cucumber... thanks to The Bump). he is surrounded by a pint and a half of amniotic fluid, but that amount will decrease as he continues to grow. he's now strong enough to grasp a finger! 

total weight gain: 

I'd say I probably gained another pound, which would put me up at 13lbs total.

sleep: 

SUCKS. if I'm not waking up to pee 9823 times, I'm just plain old uncomfortable. when I do finally get to sleep, I have some whack ass dreams and am woken up by Sean's snoring.

best moment of the week: 

buying a new mattress, haha. our mattress is like 15 years old, so needless to say, it was a purchase that has been way overdue. it will arrive on Saturday and I cannot wait to take that baby for a test drive. (mind out of the gutter, folks, I'm talking about sleeping. ain't none of that other business happening around here)

food cravings: 

anything sweet and fresh - melons, sweet corn, popsicles. 

food aversions: 

nothing really. 

symptoms: 

sleeplessness? check. 
heartburn/reflux? check. 
pelvic pain? check. 
shortness of breath? check. 
leaky nips? check. 
stretch marks? sadly, check.
pregnancy brain? check. 


I'd say I've got it all.

gender sex: 

BOY! :D 

most looking forward to: 

getting his nursery together and appointments every 2 weeks (!!!). <--- yep, same. we didn't do anything in the nursery over the weekend, so it's time to get our butts in gear. and I'll also add Kullen's 3rd birthday party to this list. :)

what I miss right now: 

just being comfortable in general.

next appointment: 

June 21st (Thursday).

lately, according to Instagram (and cell phone pics)

I finished Insurgent, which is the second installment of Veronica Roth's YA trilogy.
it was, as expected, absolutely fucking brilliant.
it might kill me to wait another year+ for the third book.

Bear is still handsome. 

... and lazy.

2 more days until I get to see my BFF!
I can't wait for her to show me the city. :)

Sonic tots are amazing.

Ronin had his first IKEA trip.

our possible paint choices for the nursery, all Premium Plus Ultra paint from Behr.
from left to right: Misty Morn, Atmospheric, French Court, and Voyage.
we bought samples to put up on the wall and see in different light. 

love this fat face.

a rare sighting - ALL 4 kitties snoozing within a few feet of one another. 
L to R: Lily, Bear, Mama, and Pheobe.
silly felines. 

Happy Hump Day!

Ronin's room: inspiration board

I whipped this up yesterday just to have an idea of how everything will come together. and I gotta say... I lurve it. check out the sources below.

[1] color scheme: grey, navy, aqua, yellow. paint color = Sparrow by Behr. it's the same color we have in our entry way (which is shown in my latest bump photo).

[2] mobile from Etsy. I love the modern fabric and the simplicity of the design. I don't want anything too distracting up there. if you'd like the link to the seller, leave me your email in the comments. I haven't purchased it yet, so I don't want to share the link. ;)

[3] pendant from Ikea. because there isn't enough room for a ceiling fan (location is too close to the wall), I want a simple pendant lamp that will bring some natural textures to the room.

[4] octopus hook from Urban Outfitters. I love this guy. he's quirky and boy-ish. I'll hang him on the back of the door.

[5] gumball lamp from Land of Nod. I may not end up buying this exact lamp, but it's the style and color I'm looking for. this will either go on top of the bookshelf or on an end table next to the glider.

[6] Baby Mod Modena crib. I did a whole post on this yesterday.

[7] hippo bookends from Serena & Lily. obviously, used to keep books together. I like that these are a natural color so that they can be used in his big boy room as well. also? they're hippos. FTW.

[8] Billy bookcase from Ikea. I'm torn between the Billy and the Expedit... I may end up with both depending on what will fit. either way, this kid needs a bookcase and it shall be one of the two. I feel like the Billy has more storage space, so that's why I chose it for the board.

[9] Hemnes 8 drawer dresser from Ikea. pretty self explanatory. white, cheap, and easy (that's what she said). however, we'll be using these knobs instead to spice it up.

[10] letter hooks from Anthropologie. I'll be buying his initials (RRQ) and posting them either on the back of the closet door, or on the wall somewhere... maybe above the bookcase.

[11, 12, 13] artwork from Etsy and Land of Nod. they fit the color scheme and they're personal to us as well. we did a "perfect pair" theme for our wedding, Mama loves hippos, and well... bikes are a little boy's favorite toy! if you'd like the links to the sellers (for the pear & hippo prints), leave me your email in the comments. I haven't purchased them yet, so I don't want to share the link. ;)

[14] Trinity glider. mmmm, I love this chair. keep in mind that it'll be navy blue with white trim, and not the off white color shown. if I had photoshop, I'd change it... but I don't, so just use your imagination.

not pictured: the nightstand (to go next to the glider), the rug (still contemplating), the bedding (in this post), and obviously, the cute clothes and toys he'll be spoiled with.

so there you have it: Ronin's room, in a condensed board.
I'm so excited to get started and put some love into this space.
I'm so excited to have him grow up with all this stuff that I've picked out just for him.
I hope he loves it as much as I do.
<3

DIY fall decor

well would ya look at that. I promised to keep you updated on something I was planning on accomplishing over the weekend and I'm ACTUALLY posting about it! 

anyway. typically, I skip fall and only decorate for the holidays, but this year, I was really hoping to add those warm fall tones to my decor. what I didn't want to do though, was spend a fortune on accessories that I would only be displaying a few weeks out of the year. so, I went to Michael's in search of cheap solutions. 

I ended up picking out a few floral arrangements, a few plastic pumpkins, some fall colored scrapbook paper, a few fillers (pine cones, little mini pumpkins, wine corks), metal word art, a basket that says "harvest", and some candles. my total at Michael's was around $100, but that also included some other miscellaneous objects that were not used for fall decor. I'd say that I spent about $60-$70 on supplies for the fall stuff, which isn't bad considering that I would probably spend 3 times that much if I chose to decorate for fall by shopping at Pottery Barn. 

here's what I did in the living room... 

one of our end tables.
handmade art by me (tutorial to come later), CREEPY word art from Michael's. 

the tray on our coffee table - the pumpkin & candle are new.
please excuse the mess. 

I like to treat the top of my entertainment center as a mantle, and so I set up two vignettes on each end... 

the only new items are the basket and the pine cones - I already owned the books, woven fillers, and the pear reed diffuser.  

the pine cones didn't come up high enough initially, so I packed some paper into the bottom of the basket to allow them to peek out of the top. 

the vase and the candle holder were things I already owned... just added the white pumpkin and flowers. I think that yellow vase could be my single favorite decor accessory... it makes it's way through every season! 

for the middle shelf, I recreated this DIY artwork that I spotted on Pinterest using fall colored scrapbook paper and cut out letters spelling FALL from brown scrapbook paper. I simply glued everything together and placed them in simple black frames. easy peasy. 

I decided to switch out some of the accessories in the bookcase this weekend too. 

luckily, we already had those orange office storage boxes from Ikea, so it wasn't too hard to make the bookcase look ready for fall. 

my excitement over this mustache scrapbook paper was embarrassing. 

glass vase filled with mini pumpkins, wine corks, and natural fillers (already owned). 

so that's it for our fall decor so far. I plan on switching out some of the art in the gallery wall for more autumn appropriate images and patterns (like this and this and this), so I'll make sure to shoot some pictures of that when it's completed. I still want to make a leafy garland out of scrapbook paper too (kinda like this, but strung together instead of hanging from a branch). 

other than adding the accessories, I keep fall scents burning in my Scentsy warmers until Christmas time comes. right now, we're enjoying the smell of Gingersnap! baked goods always remind me of fall. 

have you started to add some fall decor to your home yet? 

ALSO...I'm already working on convincing Sean to let me get real pumpkins this year for our porch! he's not buying it just yet, but maybe with the prospect of home baked pumpkin goodies, he'll change his mind! ;) 

Missoni for Target

it's here, it's here! 

the extremely pumped up Missoni for Target collection has finally hit stores as of yesterday.

I haven't had the chance to hit the store yet, but I'm loving what they've got online. 

here's a quick run down of what I've got on my wishlist that I'd love to check out in person 

(most of which are sold out online)... 

FOR ME: 

ZigZag Print Swimsuit

Floral Silk Scarf - Yellow

Pleated Maxi Skirt

Two-Tone Tights in Rose

FOR THE BEDROOM:

Aqua Pentagonal Pouf

Jar Candle

FOR THE BATHROOM:

Small Ceramic Vase

Famiglia Wavy Bath Rug

Famiglia Wavy Hand Towel

FOR THE LIVING ROOM:

Framed Tile - Passione

Throw - Passione

AH! so many awesome things! 

apparently the demand for the Missoni collection was 

so high that the Target website crashed, and the stores looked like Black Friday. 

I've talked to friends who say that all our local stores are completely 

SOLD OUT. 

how insane is that?

so have you been coveting the much awaited Missoni line as well, or is it not your cup of tea? (you people are crazy)

Happy Wednesday!

disclaimer: the opinions expressed in this blog post are purely my own. I was not perked or reimbursed for raving about the new collection at Target. I did not receive free merchandise or store credit or anything of the sort. although, that would be awesome sauce.