Carving pumpkins really isn’t the greatest idea with a 2 year old. Contrary to popular belief, big knives and toddlers don’t go hand in hand. Instead we painted pumpkins and got some fun halloween stickers to decorate with. Rowan and her best little friend Ceanna had a great time in oversized tshirts and a plate full of paint. After Rowan’s pumpkin dried, I cut a section out of the back and scooped the insides out. Then I drilled 1/4 inch holes all over the pumpkin and put a candle in it. Rowan loves it! It didn’t ruin her painting and it now has glowing polka dots at night.

p.s. Yes, Rowan is wearing a jenloveskev tshirt. Kev designed some a way long time ago for me.

Since things have been so busy lately, we went the simple route this year for Halloween. You can’t go wrong with Bandits. I was totally inspired by this post over on Say Yes to Hoboken this year. Anyway, I thought we were heading to a Halloween party at a friends house on Saturday and was completely surprised to find out it was a Halloween themed baby shower for us!! We have the greatest friends!! It was perfect. No silly games, no being the center of attention in a room full of ladies, just good friends, good food, and lots of awesome costumes. Now that is my kind of party!

I’m sort of addicted to looking for little old man cardigans from the boys section for her. I try to mix them with something a little more girly on the bottom. I loved the colors going on in this outfit. Our day was filled with playing around the house, doing a few errands, heading to the gym (Rowan goes to play with the kids while we work out) and then a playdate/Arbonne party later that night. All in all a pretty solid day!

OUTFIT DETAILS:
Cardigan: H&M
Corduroy Bloomer Shorts: H&M (similar)
Tights: Target
Minnetonka Boots: Zappos

We’ve been painting a ton since we moved in but the time has come to start organizing and setting up things. I’m ready for it to feel more like home. It will be exciting to share pictures along the way with you all. I want the house to feel as settled as I can before the baby comes. The apartment we lived in before was around 1300sqft, our new house is around 2200sqft. Needless to say there are some empty rooms we need to fill. I am trying to make sure each room has a specific function and will be used by all of us. I did not want to buy a house where we would end up with rooms that weren’t lived in.

Our kitchen has what we are going to call a family room attached to it. We decided we didn’t want the tv to go in there because we wanted it to be a place to play, relax and enjoy company when we had dinner guests over (everyone hangs out by the kitchen anyways). We have a gas stove in there that I am really looking forward to using now that it is cooler. We decided not to get a big couch but instead get 2 chair and a half chairs. We have our big brown sectional in the living room already with the tv.

As you can see in the picture above we have a sweet sunroom off to the left, the gas stove on the right and you can see the island and the pantry doors from the kitchen. It really is a great space. We painted everything white when we moved in for a fresh & bright look. Here are some pictures that are a huge source of inspiration for the room (and the entire house in general).

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jenloveskev/8119261361/

Here are some items that I am thinking about ordering to make our family room come together in real life…

Wow. I guess I went on a little blog vacation there for a week. Haven’t felt much like sitting and blogging lately. It’s not that I’ve lost motivation or that I don’t have stuff I want to share. It’s just that it’s finally all settling in that this little baby is coming very, very soon. There is just so much to do still! It is sort of getting overwhelming. I honestly feel like I have blinked and here we are almost at 31 weeks already. One of the parts that I find most overwhelming is that these are my last weeks alone with Rowan. I just keep thinking over and over how she and she alone is who made me a Mother. That is something very special. Not that I will love her any more or any less than this new baby but I have truly cherished this time together just the 2 of us. She will always be the one who changed my entire being. In that one instant when she was born, I become something more than just myself.

Though life may seem overwhelming at times lately, I am happy (tired, but happy)! We are in a house we LOVE, we are all healthy, the baby is doing great and in my opinion, it’s the best time of year.! I am working hard at finding the balance of trying to get stuff ready for the new baby and spending some extra, special time with Rowan. We have been spending lots of time out and about during the day and doing fall activities with friends. I’ve also been trying to take naps with her instead of running off to get things done around the house. There is nothing more peaceful than cuddling your kid and watching them sleep. Rowan loves to be cuddled when she is in bed and I am happy to give her that extra attention before the baby arrives. I’m ready though for this new chapter to begin. I’m excited to move forward as a family of 4. It’s time for our hearts to grow with a new kind of love; love for our new baby girl, love for seeing Rowan as a big sister and an overwhelming love for our growing family. So here we are, counting down the weeks with open arms…

p.s. the dress from the photo is the absolute best dress! Perfect long length and perfect for a pregnant or non pregnant belly. I wear it about 2-3 times a week. Shhh don’t tell any one. I am running out of things that fit.

Kev,
Today is your 30th birthday and I wanted to write you a note (and share it with everyone) because I am just so proud of the man you are. I know we have always joked that 30 meant we were now officially adults but I have loved watching you grow to this point. I am so excited to be here. I could not be happier to be 30 with you. We have been through a heck of a lot over the years. Watching you become and embrace being a Dad over the last 2 years though has made me fall in love with you all over again. I have always been madly in love with you but boy, oh boy seeing you as a Dad makes my heart flutter in a whole new way.

You are the most amazing Dad. I couldn’t ask for anything more. You are so caring, loving and hands on. You get home and I know you must be so tired from working but you are always right there for her. You are instantly down on the floor playing blocks or out skateboarding with her. She loves you so much. She has been a Daddy’s girl from the very beginning and there is no doubt in my mind why. You make her feel secure, protected and loved beyond belief. You have patience when I have none left. You are the perfect balance of stern when she needs it and a big, full of life kid ready to play. I could not be more proud of you. I can’t wait to see you grow again as a Father of two in the coming months.

You are my better half and I will love you now and forevermore.
Happy Birthday!
xoxo

-Me

p.s. How adorable is this video of Kev playing with Rowan and her little friend at the park?

I think I am going to start a new feature on Jenloveskev called What Rowan Wore. I love dressing her! She is like my real life doll. We will try to post a picture once a week of an outfit she wore and share where everything is from.

I am not one for clothing sets and things being overly matchy for kids. I really don’t spend a lot on her clothing either. I just can’t do it. She is so rough and tumble and aways getting dirty. I don’t live near fancy stores (although I would really love a Zara kids near by) nor do I order a lot of extra cool brands online. I think this will be a good way to show you can still express your style (I mean your kids style) in an inexpensive way from stores that everyone has around them.

For Rowan, I really try to match her personality in the way I dress her. She is outgoing and full of energy and passion. She is the toughest little girl I know, but also loves her babies and pretending to be a little Mommy. I tend to dress her in bright colors with blacks and whites as the neutrals. I have no problem picking up things from the boys section either. I love to mix and match things. I can’t help but pick things I would love to wear as well. I love plaids and button up shirts, leather jackets, skinny jeans, lots of cardigans and mixing patterns. She will always be a little mini me I think.

I am excited to share her daily little outfits!
(these pictures are just some iphone photos from the past few weeks)…

You can’t go wrong with plaid in the fall, right? *swoon!!

1. Plaid Shirts | 2. Heels | 3. Earrings | 4. Wool Skirt | 5. Over the Shoulder Bag
| 6. Bow Flats | 7. Plaid Scarf | 8. Dress | 9. Down Blanket | 10. American Flag Print

Here are some favorites from around the web this week…
1. Check out my latest Disney post about Documenting your Labor.
2. Love these three maternity dresses from asos. They are on sale too!
3. This the best birth story I have EVER read!!
4. How Yummy does this cake look? MMMmmmmm!
5. This dress is kind of like a giant dream come true… so beautiful!
6. I love pictures of cute gatherings of odds and ends. So pretty!
7. Oh, if only I wasn’t pregnant right now! Julie looks so dang pretty in this outfit!
8. 15 mins to make this awesome polka dot skirt? Yes, please!
9. How beautiful is this DIY floral cake topper?
10. This jacket rocks my world. Well, pretty much the entire outfit the model is wearing!

HAPPY WEEKEND!

Before I became a mom I was sure I would love the infant stage the best. I never understood how parents could say they weren’t “infant stage” people. What’s not to love I thought? They sleep and cuddle most of the time, right? As a parent, I have loved every stage with Rowan but I can honestly saw now… I am not an infant person. It was not my favorite. I wonder what it will be like with the second though? I think I was somewhat tainted by that overwhelming feeling of “holy crap!” by being a new mom with Rowan. It was hard to be in the moment back then. We had no close friends with babies and I was alone most of the time with Rowan while Kev was at work. Anyway, I have said this with every stage but man, oh man 2 is the best age. (I am a little afraid of what 3 will bring. I have heard horror stories. Ha!)

It is also the age that makes me want to cry, pull my hair out, and scream in frustration some days but at the same time I want to freeze time. I want her to be this age forever. I feel like she is 2 going on 13. She talks so dang much. She understands and can do way more than I give her credit for. She has the funniest sense of humor and is just so loving, out going and brave I can’t even stand it. Rowan is 1 in a million. Yes. Yes. I know I am her Mom and of course I would say that but it really is true.

I have really gotten to love our little daily routine for 2 years old. We spend lots of time with close friends at parks, playgroups and gymnastics. This has been such a huge blessing to me. A void I think I was missing for 2 years. Having friends with kids that are going through similar things is such a huge encouragement. Parenting can feel very lonely sometimes if you let it. Seeing Rowan make best friends warms my heart.

I am a very proud Mom and I am super proud of Kev and I. We have made many mistakes for sure but I think sometimes we can be too hard on ourselves as parents. We should pat our selves on the back every once in a while. It’s no joke raising kids. It is by far the hardest job there is and I think we all need a big jump high five most days for making it through.

I have been thinking a lot lately about motherhood and the kind of Mom I want to be and continue to be. It is crazy to think that I will be a Mom of 2 in just 11 weeks. Here are a few things that have been on my heart lately…

1. I want to be spontaneous and easy going with enough structure that will give them the security they need.
2. I want to be able to instill in them a passion for life.
3. i want to teach them to have good manners and be polite.
4. I want to play outside with them a lot.
5. I want them to hear more music than tv.
6. I don’t want them to remember me on my phone/computer all the time.
7. I want to pick up and go places with them on a whim.
8. I don’t always want to worry about schedules or making messes.
9. I want our house to be filled with laughter and love.
10. I want to create situations where they can use their imaginations as much as possible.
11. I want to lead by example. I want to be a good role model for them.
12. I want them to know there is no limit to what they can accomplish.
13. I want them to know God’s love for them.
14. I want them to teach them to be kind to others and have a generous heart.
15. I want our family to always be adventurous and value the importance of seeing new things.
16. I want to teach them to value and respect each other as siblings and us as parents.
17. I want them to know they can dream big and we will be there no matter what to support them.
I could go on and on…

What things are important to you to teach your kids?
What has been your favorite age?

No matter how long I live here in the states, Columbus Day will always be Canadian Thanksgiving to me. I was missing my family a lot that day so I decided I would invite some friends over and celebrate with a mini Thanksgiving dinner. Obviously, there was no turkey (Gross!), but I made stuffed acorn squash with maple stuffing. Mmmm!! I’ve posted the recipe on the blog before, you can see it HERE if you want. This time I added almonds and apples though. I decorated the table up a bit and made a cute kids table for Rowan and her friend.

For dessert I made a recipe I found off of pinterest (where else, right?). They were delicious!! We’ve been eating them as a little treat each night since. I even add a scoop of maple walnut ice cream with mine!!

I am sure it’s everyones fall tradition to go apple picking in the fall, but for us it will always hold some extra special meaning. It was our very first family outing after Rowan was born. She was just days old and off we went on our first little adventure together. Look at how dang tiny she was!! Crazy.

We love this cute little farm just south of Albany to go apple picking. It’s not crazy busy, cute animals, low spray, and delicious cider donuts. Mmmmmm! We spent most of the afternoon just wondering through the rows of apple trees with Rowan. It’s not the best apple season this year and the apples were hard to find. It’s pretty cute watching Rowan eat apples that are just her size though. We found lots of teeny tiny ones!

Rowan’s Outfit Details:
Chambray Shirt: Old Navy
Coral Cords: Old Navy
Vans Kids Authentic Sneakers: Zappos

Jen’s Outfit Details:
Skirt: Swapped
Plaid Shirt: Thrifted
Tights: Spanx
Sparkle Boots: c/o Wanted

I just put up a super easy (like really easy) DIY post over on Disney Baby. Rowan is totally obsessed with freeze pops. We use them as special rewards for potty training and for after dinner treats. I really love Otter Pops because they are made with at least some if not all real fruit juice. Head over to Disney Baby to check out the post if you’d like…

Fall makes me want to buy lots of shoes and lots of sweaters. Don’t you just love a super cozy sweater? Here are some of my most favorite…

I’ve been posting a ton over on Disney Baby. Here are some of my last few posts. Head on over if you’d like to read them…
1. A New Beginning
2. The Mess that is (and always will be) our Playroom
3. 8 Healthy Recipes for Kids Obsessed with Peanut Butter
4. 9 Months of Maternity Style
5. 8 Vintage “Fall Inspired” Kids Dresses
6. My Labor Playlist
7. Our Birthday Traditions