Sleep, toilet paper + gift sets

Sleep.

We've done it.  A lot of you told me it would be worth it.  Last week at this time I laughed and said no way, never.  But it worked.  He's sleeping like a champ.

Nap time this morning... zero crying my friends.  Thanks for all the prayers and advice.  They really did help :)

...and anyone going through sleep issues, hold on.  It does get better and you aren't alone.  I promise.

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Toilet paper.

Guys this is awesome.  I can't help but share :)

I won a years supply of toilet paper!!!

My friend and fellow blogger, Mandy --- over at Creative Cents --- just had a Quilted Northern Toilet paper giveaway.  And I won!!!

And, to make it all that much sweeter, I found out this morning that I don't even have to go buy it.  They will send it straight to my door!

Isn't that just the bees knees?!

Check out Mandy's blog, here, for future awesome giveaways and great useful blog posts!

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Gift sets.

Looking for the perfect baby shower gift? 

Right now.  Up in the shop.  Check this out...

Right now we have only a few, but they are in my absolute favorite

 Elephant Print...in both blue and pink!  Is it not adorable?!

This is all I have left of this fabric for now.  

So don't wait, I'm not making any promises that I can get it again!!

Get yours today over in the new Gift Set section of the Beautifully Esoteric Shop!!

Have a great day :)

Oh no she didn't.

My kid is putting himself to sleep.  He still cries for a good 10-15 minutes.  But it's more of a whimper.

It's a miracle and I'll take it.  :)

For those of you wanting my deep dark secrets...well...I'll give them, but I won't put this advice in any parenting book.  Because it's bad.  Real bad.

We were finding that he was chugging his bottle while we rocked him and then freaking out when we put him in the crib.  He has a super crazy sensitive gag reflex, and so he was crying, then coughing, then gagging, and so on.

Well, one afternoon I got the crazy idea to not let him chug the bottle before I put him in the crib.  You see where this is going...

So, I read him a story, said "nigh-night", and yes, laid him in his crib with his bottle.

(Okay everyone, let's say a collective, "oh no she didn't")

Yep, this Mama did.

And it worked.

And I did a victory dance.  For real.

And in about a year I will be writing a blogpost about how to wean your kid off of needing a bottle in his crib to put him to sleep.   But why fight tomorrow's battle today?

Because today we have a kid who puts himself to sleep.

So today, I will dance.  Hallelujah.

Hard on the heart...

Sometimes a mama's job isn't only hard, but it's hard on the heart.

There are so many books out there on how to be a good mom.  The perfect ways to train your baby to eat, sleep, and poop on command so you can walk around feeling like super mom showing off your perfect baby to all your friends.  But anyone who has been through the first year of parenting knows those books are all crazy.

I'm sure the formulas worked for them.

But they didn't work for my baby.  Or yours either, I'm sure.

I recently joked with a friend about writing a "what not to do" parent book.  I could fill that thing up.
You know with things like...

"Don't forget an extra change of baby clothes on your first trip out of the house with a newborn."

"Don't give your screaming 2 month old 3 bottles of formula in 20 minutes no matter how hungry he claims to be"

"Don't go 2 days without washing your son's helmet..."

"Don't feed your kid tomatoes without a bib"

"Don't let your 1 year old run around naked on the area rug"

and most recently...

"Don't rock your child to sleep for 45 minutes every night and teach him that's the only way to fall asleep"


But what to do...I'm not sure I will ever know.  


This whole crying it out thing is no fun for anyone.  But let's add in the fact that I have a child who likes to throw up.  Yep, I truly think he enjoys it.

I won't bore (err..gross you out) with all the details, but teaching Ellis to put himself down for naps/nighttime has been quite the adventure.

We started our routine...Bottle + story,  paci + a few minutes of rocking.  I then tell him that we are going to go "nigh-night" and lay him down in his crib.  Laying down is more like peeling him off of me and putting him in the crib as he quickly stands up, reaching and screaming "mamamamamamama".

Break my heart.  

(no haters on the whole "crying it out" deal, please.  We have done the whole "rocking for 30-40 mins till he's out and happy...then laying him down while sneaking out of the room praying he won't wake" for months and now we are having to teach our baby how to be a big boy.  It may not be what you choose to do, and that's cool with me :)

So, cry he does.  And I go in once.  That is all.  (I mean unless he throws up, but we haven't done that in a few days, praise the Lord) But I've learned that the more I go in, the longer and more dramatic things get...

He is now crying.  It's been 25 minutes.  I'm sure it will be many more.

But I will wait here.

Outside his door.

Because I will always be right here.  Cheering him on.  I can't always do things for him.

Man, how's that for your sappy lesson of the day?  You're welcome.  :)

Sunshine Therapy

What's better than a little early morning sun, dirt + friends at the park?

Ellis had a great time, and was, once again, completely worn out --- Thanks Amy & C :)

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In Shop news...

We added our newest item --- Gauze (Muslin) swaddlers --- to the shop!  I am so excited about these...they are super large and super soft, perfect for swaddling or walks at the park.  The light weight fabric is so snuggly and softens with every wash! :)  

I might have already made three for Baby 2 with the plans for a few more :)  

Oh, and did I mention they come in all of these awesome earthy tones?  

What baby doesn't look scrumptious all wrapped up in earth tones?!

 Have any baby showers coming up?  Make sure to order 5-7 days before to ensure delivery.  

(And if you don't have that much time, you can always ask about rush orders and I'll do my best!)  

Order them in the shop here + enjoy!

Such joy...

This little guy is full of so much joy.  I could watch this all day.

11 months

Weight: 20 lbs
Length: 31 in

Likes:  You still love your daily Thomas episode.  And I think you like that your mom has had some days of really not feeling well and letting you watch more than one Thomas :)

You follow your puppy around all day long.  Stanley isn't as fond of you as you are of him, but it's pretty cute to watch you crawl after him and "pat-pat" him.  We are still working on being really gentle, but Stan is very patient with you.  Or he just gets up and walks away!

Fans.  You have always loved them.  But Dad just installed one in our living room and it's the coolest thing in the entire world.  You point and blow at it all day and make sure that everyone who comes into the room sees the fan.  We are going to put one in your room eventually.  That should be fun!

Dislikes:  You are overall pretty happy as long as you are being entertained.  You are a very social baby and love to just walk around target and wave at people.  You really don't like when we are stuck at home all day.  You start to go stir crazy.  Hopefully this spring weather will hurry up so we can spend more time outdoors.

You are starting to get mad when we leave you in the nursery at church.  It's not bad, and as soon as you realize that there are friends and toys, you get over it pretty quick, but you really are a daddy's boy. So, we try and keep dad away from the nursery on Sundays!

Milestones:  Still not quite walking!  You are soooo close!  You will stand up in the middle of the room without holding anything for minutes at a time, but just haven't taken that first step yet!  I know everyone says don't rush it, but honestly, I need you REALLY good at walking so that when baby 2 comes you are more self sufficient.  :)

You continue to get better and better at eating.  We have to keep reminding ourselves that babies are all so different, and that you are just doing things in your time.  You have almost completely stopped gagging at foods, and have moved more into just being picky with what you will and won't eat.  But you are good at trying just about everything.  Your favorite foods are eggs, turkey, ham, cheese sandwiches, blueberries, and mashed potatoes!  And by "favorite" we mean "pretty much the only things you will eat!"  But you've come a long way and are getting better everyday.  You have, however, stopped wanting purees, and so we are really trying to get your food intake up so that you keep putting on the weight!  We don't think there has really been much of a change in your weight in the last few months and so we are waiting to see what the dr is going to say about that.

Nighttime sleeping is still great - thank you!  You have the occasional teething night where you are up, but for the most part we go to bed knowing you will sleep through the night!  Your naps, however are starting to shorten and shorten!  You take about 1-1.5 hours in the morning and 1 hour max in the afternoon. We are debating on whether or not to go down to 1 nap, but your mama just really doesn't think she can make it through without your morning nap! :)

2 bottom middle teeth and 2 top!  It's so cute to see your little teeth gums start to fill up and really makes you look a lot older!  Still taking forever for each tooth to pop through!

You are wearing 9-12month clothes for the most part and just about to move up to 18 month jammies!

Firsts:  We ordered you your first Kid's meal at a restaurant!  It wasn't completely necessary,  but we hadn't planned to go out so you needed dinner.  It was kinda fun, but at the same time completely a rip off!   Fun to say we did it, but we will be bringing our own food and feeding you off of our meals from now on :)

You went down your first slide!  We were at your buddy Trager's 6th birthday party and he had a really big bounce house...so when the kids went inside for cake, your dad took you in the bounce house and down the big slide!  It was really fast and you were completely unfazed by the entire event.  But it was fun for us!

Fun Fact:  We have yet to be able to find a pair of hard soled shoes that fits you.  We found a great deal on baby TOMS and were so excited when they came in.  However, you might have the worlds chubbiest baby feet.  I'm convinced of it.  They aren't wide (shoes come in wide!) they are thick.  They are super thick. They are just one big chunk.  I guess you will just keep wearing your stretchy slip on shoes until we find a cobbler to make you a custom pair.  :)

10 months

Weight: 19 lbs 9 oz
Length: 30 in
(You shrunk...I'm blaming it on the helmet)

Likes:  Thomas the Train.  I think we have an addiction :)  You get to watch 1 episode a day, usually right when you wake up.  You crawl right up to the TV and sit cross legged and laugh at the TV.  It's pretty cute.

Still love playing peek a boo!  Now you will cover your face and wait for someone to play with you.  You've even been found playing peek a boo with Thomas.  (Yes, on the TV.)

You love going on rides.  You've been a pretty easy sleeper, but when we really can't get you down, we can put you in the car seat or the stroller and you are out pretty fast!

Dislikes:  When we leave you in your crib.  You are not a happy waker.  If you wake up, you want out of that crib, quick!  We've tried putting toys/books in the crib with you and you want nothing to do with it.  You jump and scream and shake your crib until we come get you.  Please oh please don't try and jump out.  We are just waiting for the day...

Milestones: You are so close to walking.  Everyone that sees how easily you stand says that you should be walking any day.  You will walk behind your push toys, but haven't taken a step yet on your own.

It's been a BIG improvement in the eating world!!!  We are so proud of the changes in your eating :)  You will now eat soft breads and very small pieces of meat and cheese.  No fruit or veggies yet, but you still get those from your purees.  We attempted to make purees again in an attempt to save a little money, but you continue to be a very picky eater and want nothing other than the expensive, store bought food no matter what we do!

Thankfully your sleeping has gone back to normal.  Not sure we could handle that for much longer :)  You sleep through the night like a champ and have even started going to bed a bit earlier!  You go down around 7:30.  Now, if only we could get you to sleep in a little later, that would be great!  But you have a good time hanging out with your dad in the mornings, so I think you wake up excited to do that!

You have 2 bottom teeth and are starting to work on the first top one.  You are working at about the rate of 1 tooth a month.  Man, this is a lot of work for teeth that you are just going to lose in a few years!!

Firsts:  As we said, you are standing and walking behind your push toys.   You have started walking along things, scaling tables and chairs.  It's really fun to see you learn and explore these new things!

Fun Fact:  I started to work in office 3 afternoons a week and so you get to hang out with your dad for 2 whole afternoons a week and your grandma Lisa for one afternoon!  You love it!  I think it's a good break for me and it gets you someone else to play with :)

Also, we found out this month that you are going to be a big brother!!  We love you so very much and can not believe that you are already almost a year old and REALLY can't believe that you are going to be a big brother!  We are going to have our hands full for the next few years!

Sweet boy please stop growing so fast!!

Crazy Child, Free Starbucks + Blog Love

It's drive your mama crazy day in the Throckmorton household.  Just incase you hadn't gotten the memo.  If your kids need any ideas, just borrow a few of Ellis':

Unfold an entire load of laundry while mom makes breakfast.

Walk around, throwing your hands in the air dramatically, whining "mamamamamama" over and over.

Refuse to eat your breakfast and then when mom gives up and let's you down, throw your entire bowl of apples on the floor.

Beg for a diaper change and then scream bloody murder the whole time you are being changed.

Bang at the front door to go play on the front porch, and then once you get out there just stand at the back window and cry for dada.  Because mom is so terrible.

I could go on and on...

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If your morning has been anything like mine...this next tidbit is for you...

Free Starbucks.  Isn't that a beautiful combination of words? 

Of course it is.

I've been getting a free $5 Starbucks card at the beginning of each month since March!  And you can too!  (Well...not since March, but as soon as you get started!)

What's even better is you don't have to do anything other then download an app on your phone! 

There's a research group started by Standford and Harvard graduates that simply tracks where you shop.  You don't even have to tell them, they just track your phone.  I know, now that I'm typing it out it sounds all creepy-like, but they've got a whole privacy document if you wanna double check the security (always a good idea!).  If they select you for the panel you just have to keep the app installed on your phone for the time specified and then watch your points grow!  You can also do little surveys here and there that pop up on the app (not required) but they will earn you more points along the way!

I can't promise there will be an open panel in your area, but you can go here to check!

(Oh and if Starbucks isn't your thing, you can also trade your points for Amazon.com cards.)

{Side note: I'm not getting anything from Locately for writing this post (though I wish I was! ;) just sharing the love out of the goodness of my heart...on my my out the door to get my free coffee!!}

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In other news, I want you all to meet my friend, and fellow blogger, Mandy.

Her blog, Creative Cents, is a great place to go for "centsible" living tips!  She is a lady after my own heart...God + bargains!!  She covers everything from DIY crafts, Meijer weekly deals, and my favorite Menu Plan Mondays!

I'm so excited to share that Mandy is featuring our shop on her blog today!  She is offering another great giveaway - so if you weren't lucky enough to win the last one - head on over and enter!!

Mother's Day Quick Sale!

Anyone still looking for the perfect {ahem...last minute} Mother's Day gift?

I've got you covered, my friend :)

Seriously, it can't be any easier than this - I promise!

Head on over to my shop and download this PDF right now!  All you have to do is print it off at your local printer (If you have time, I definitely recommend mpix.com, as they ship overnight! but if not Walgreens, Target, or heck even a nice home color printer will do!) 

Only $5 and your choice of 3 color schemes! 

{ download these prints! }

Don't wait - enjoy!

Pregnancy Update + Giveaway Winner!

This pregnancy has been no joke.

2 trips to the ER for fluids and many days and nights spent praying I'll stay awake/feel well enough to take care of Ellis.  

The days are slowly starting to get better.  I feel like I'm out of the worst of it and starting to see the light.  

However, feeling better has brought on a new wave of emotions. 

I want to "enjoy" this pregnancy as much as I did with Ellis...I feel like it is my mom-ly duty and only fair.  However, I feel this tug on my heart to enjoy Ellis as much as I can as an only child before baby dos gets here.  Can I do both?  I'm working on it, but it's not easy.  I feel like I'm neglecting one or the other.

I'm either sitting on the couch taking it easy while my 1 year old plays in his playpen for the 3rd time in the day.  Or I'm up and playing and running around with Ellis while baby 2 is yelling at me to slow down or reminding me that haven't had a glass of water in days.  Yep.

Just being real here.  It's no easy battle.  

I just try and remember that I'm not the first one to do this.  I'm not alone and it can be done :) So I battle on and pray that each day will be better than the last. 

Oh, and if I had any trouble remembering I was pregnant...I finally stopped and gawked at the sight of my belly yesterday.  With being sick and losing so much weight I didn't think the bump would be making an appearance anytime soon.  But I was wrong.  Oh so wrong.  

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Shop news!

Thanks so much for all the encouragement, shop visits, and entries into the giveaway!

And the winner of a set of 3 burp cloths is...

......

Casey Russo!

......

Congrats, Casey!  I will contact you with info soon!

I'm going to extend the LAUNCH10 code through the rest of the week as a thanks - tell your friends! :)

UPDATE:
I had to change the code to LAUNCH10OFF  - so please use that for the discount!  Enjoy!

Beautifully what? {Etsy launch & an explanation...}

Etsy launch time folks...

But first, a word from our sponsors...

I've been going back and forth and dragging my feet on what to call this shop.  I've always used beautifully esoteric for my blog and design stuff in the past, but on a whim changed it to "studio e" after Ellis was born.  You know, something about having a cute kid and thinking I needed to dedicate my shop to him.  Silly hormonal decisions.  But really I liked it.  Anyways...  Long story short - the username "studio e" just wasn't available anywhere.  And Bryan has always given me a hard time for switching it from "beautifully esoteric" in the first place.

So, he wins.  Beautifully Esoteric is now my blog and shop name.  I mean it really makes sense.  I don't know why I fought it.  Maybe because I'm pregnant and I like to do things that done make sense.  Like put milk in the pantry.  Or buy nasty powdered donuts that are on the clearance rack at Walgreens.  Or eating half of said box of donuts in 2 days.  Poor decisions all around.

So.  There's there explanation.  Done and done.  Never going back.  :)


Now back what you've all been waiting for...

The Beautifully Esoteric Etsy Shop is open for business!

{and I'm just starting, remember?...so little errors here and there may surface and I'll just ask for grace when they do...but it's my start}

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Now, the even better part!

Any of my readers who place an order by Sunday at midnight (CST) can enter the code LAUNCH10 for 10% off of their orders!  Sweet, huh?

Lastly, is anyone up for a giveaway?!  Head on over to my Instagram (@klthrock) or Facebook for details!

Thanks for everyone's encouragement through getting this up and going - you all rock! :)

Who's afraid of the big bad wolf?

Sometimes I get stuck.  Paralyzed by my own inner big bad wolf.   Unable to move forward.

I'm not good enough.

I'm not unique enough.

What if no one buys anything?

What if people think my stuff is bad?

I'm not "known" enough.

This is just a peek into my mind.  And I share it not for a pity party, but rather to expose it.  I've been reading Jon Acuff's new book, Start.  And he writes that we give our fears too much power by keeping them inside.  That when we write them down, say them out loud, we are exposing them to the truth.  We are immediately able to see just how silly they are.

And then he suggested that the best way to overcome your fears (or to "punch them in the face" as Jon would say...) is to just start.

Start.


So I started.

I started designing, I started sewing, and I started waking up at 6:30am.  And I'm not perfect, but for the time being, I'm no longer afraid of the big bad wolf.

I actually think he's pretty cute... :)

{studio e exclusive "Wolf" print - soon to be available in my Etsy store}

Where are you stuck?