Our Weekend

Happy spring! The weather in Colorado seems to have finally taken a permanent turn (fingers crossed) into warmer temps and sunny days, and I couldn't be happier about it. Bright colors, popsicles, the pool, being outside, NOT being sick...all good stuff.

Friday night we had some friends and their two boys over for dinner, and Sydney got a belated birthday gift that she's become obsessed with. She also became reacquainted and obsessed with her Bumbo chair; we brought it out for our friends' 3.5-month-old, and Sydney spent more time sitting in the chair over the weekend than she ever has before, ha! She loves climbing in and out of it, so we haven't put it away yet (because we obviously need more toys to clutter our house with).

We spent the rest of our weekend outside and getting things done around the house, as I mentioned before it's our last totally free weekend until mid-June. Saturday we ran some errands and of course watched the Badgers secure their spot in the Final Four (WOO!), and Sunday was spent outside swinging, eating apples, going to the dog park and watching Dad work.

ON WISCONSIN

Our dogs, Max and Mya, have always been so good with Sydney ever since we brought her home, but they always kind of kept their distance; I think they were trying to figure out exactly what she was, haha. Since becoming a little older and more mobile, she's become increasingly more interested in them and vice-versa, and now it's full-blown love affair. Sydney L O V E S dogs. Loves them! I swear the first thing she does when she's in a new environment is scan the room for a dog -- and she will find one. She's like a wizard at Where's Waldo? if Waldo was any and every dog. Whether it's a real one or a picture of one dressed up as a leprechaun on a sign at the post office, you bet your ass she will find a dog and point, screaming, "DOG!!!" So as you can imagine, the dog park is one of her favorite places ever.

Sydney's 100 lb bodyguard

It's so sweet watching her form relationships with both our pups. Max and Mya have polar opposite personalities; Max is a pure-bred german shepherd that comes from an impressive line of working and police dogs, so he's very protective, especially of me and Sydney, and he's always aware of his surroundings. He's also extremely playful and sweet and one of the friendliest dogs I've met, which is ironic because you would think Mya, being a lab-retriever, would be the same but she's not. She's very quiet and has such a docile demeanor; she prefers humans over other dogs and just wants to sit and be pet all day. We thought Mya would ignore Sydney, but she actually is the first one to go to her when she cries and is the first one to greet her when she comes in the door. It's so sweet! Max, on the other hand, was more distant with Sydney -- until recently, and now it's like they're best pals (it could very well be the food Sydney drops on the floor for him). He'll sit next to her while she's on the floor and let her play with her toys on his back, or he'll sit and let her pet his paws or grab his ears; it's the cutest thing and melts my heart. The other day Max was chewing on a bone and Sydney walked up to him, reached in his mouth and grabbed his bone and walked away and gave it to Mya (poor Max, haha). Both Jordan and I (who were watching carefully) were both amazed; the love and patience these dogs have shown Syd is so adorable, and I can't wait to see watch their friendships grow. Max doesn't know it yet, but I signed him up as a prop for Sydney's upcoming Halloween costume.

Hope everyone had a great weekend. We're gearing up for Easter around here and also starting to pack for our Mexican getaway in a couple of weeks, so it's busy busy around here!

Happy Tuesday!

xo

{review + giveaway} : Freshly Picked Moccasins

The weekend is here! As previously stated, I'm welcoming today with open arms and couldn't be happier to have Jordan's help spend some quality family time together. I think I jinxed myself when I talked about having an open schedule because I just took a look at our calendar and realized we have something going on every single weekend from next week until mid-June. Eek.

So if you've been following my blog for a while or you follow me on Instagram, you probably are well aware I love to support small shops. I often buy Sydney's clothes and accessories from online boutiques and handmade Etsy shops, and I try to support small businesses whenever I can (like for Sydney's first birthday party...but that will have to be another post!). The pieces these owners, usually fellow mamas, create are so gorgeous and well made, and I love that their designs are one-of-a-kind and unique. (I mean, where else can you find this adorable bunny romper??)

My love for shopping small started literally four days before Sydney was born. Uber-pregnant and so uncomfortable, after a long walk Jordan and I had settled in for a wild night of super spicy food and Shark Tank. (If you don't watch Shark Tank, you should probably set your DVRs now and thank me later.) Susan Petersen pitched her company Freshly Picked to the sharks, and she had me at, "Freshly Picked is the world's best baby moccasin."

Image via sharktankpodcast.net

Believe it or not, I only bought Sydney two, maaaaybe three, outfits and only one pair of shoes before she was born. I swear! Up until that point I was completely oblivious to the world of small shops and baby clothes, let alone baby moccasins, and then this darling woman comes on my favorite show making a pitch about tiny baby shoes -- and I was sold.

All my walking and spicy food that weekend must have paid off because I went into labor late Sunday night and had Sydney early Tuesday morning and totally forgot all about Freshly Picked. Thankfully, one of my best friends and his wife and family sent me my first pair, and I was so excited about them because hel-lo, they were on Shark Tank. I ripped open the box and found the most adorable packaging containing an even more adorable, well-crafted, high quality pair of tiny leather moccasins in a gorgeous frosted rose color. O M G. I was in love, and Jordan was in trouble.

Since then we've become huge Freshly Picked enthusiasts. Starting with our first pair I was very much blown away by the quality and design. The soft leather and airy design of the shoe is comfortable and breathable for baby and toddler feet, and the quality of the leather and sewing is top notch. In my opinion, the best part of the moccs, though (besides the cute factor), is that babies can't take them off but they're so easy for adults (like my husband) to put on. The covered elastic around the ankle allows adults to easily pull them open and slip them on, but they're designed so the elastic also prevents babies and toddlers from easily shuffling or pulling them off.We've added a few more to Sydney's collection, and we are continuously impressed with them.

I mean, seriously. How cute??

Now that Sydney is older and walking, I've been curious to see if the moccs would a) still hold up because they have soft soles and b) still be comfortable for her now that she's mobile. So far I've been pleasantly surprised, and Freshly Picked has exceeded my expectations in both issues. I actually found because the moccs have soft soles rather than hard it allows Sydney to walk better and more easily because she can feel the ground and her footing is more stable.

Freshly Picked Moccs (Oui Oui - Limited Edition) // Heart Leggings + Matching Headband // Chambray Shirt (sold out, similar) // Heart Sunnies

Currently with over 60 different colors and patterns (and new styles introduced often!), Freshly Picked has a wide variety of options suited for customers of every kind. The moccasins retail for $60, which you can purchase directly from their website or now through Nordstrom (limited colors/patterns), and are worth every penny for their high-quality leather and perfect craftsmanship. Freshly Picked has expanded their line to include crib moccasins (for teeny-tiny baby feet!), tote bags, pouches and now even apparel. Both for boys and girls, these moccasins are absolutely the best of the best out there and make the perfect baby gift!

And because it's Friday (or should I say FriYAY), I want to give a pair to you! I'm so excited to announce I've recently partnered with Freshly Picked and would love to give one of my readers a free pair. Head on over to my Instagram for more details and how to enter.

UPDATE
Here's how to get additional entries for the giveaway:

1) Follow Colorado Baby Anderson by clicking the "Join This Site" button on the right-hand side, and comment below with your favorite color/style of Freshly Picked moccasin! (MAKE SURE to comment, so I know you have entered the giveaway.)

2) Like Colorado Baby Anderson on Facebook.

3) Follow me on Twitter!

4) Follow me on Pinterest!

You'll receive one additional entry for every step you follow. GOOD LUCK!!

Hope everyone has a wonderful, fun-filled weekend!

Stay-at-Home Life

Happy Thursday! Anyone else ready for the weekend?? I thought yesterday was Thursday all day until maybe 2:00 PM, so I was unpleasantly surprised when I finally came to. Sydney is getting three teeth in, including a molar, and she's also starting to walk, so she's been super fussy and constantly falling/faceplanting/smacking her head on the pavement this week. It's been fun. I need Jordan. I'm ready for the weekend.

This is a screenshot of a video; I'm not just a bad mom who takes pics of her kid falling.

I get asked a lot, especially lately, how it's going having Syd at home with me now. I usually smile and say the same auto-reply, "Oh, it's awesome; I love being home with her," because it's the truth -- I do love being home with her. I love being able to spend so much time with her, and I love teaching her new things. I love playing with her and watching her curious little mind figure things out, and I love snuggling with her and kissing her 10,000 times a day. I also love having my own schedule, not having a commute, and being my own boss (although to be fair my previous bosses were nothing short of amazing).

But it's also been a completely different experience than I ever imagined. I recently came across an article that I found to be extremely offensive and insulting. The article (posted here) was written by a former stay-at-home mom who carelessly casts judgment on other stay-at-home moms and chastises them for ever uttering that their job is hard. In fact, she adamantly disagrees with calling it a job at all and instead says it's actually a hobby. (Yes, a hobby. I can't even type that without getting mad.)

Like most stay-at-home moms, I s t r o n g l y disagree with the writer. A job is defined as a paid position of regular employment or as a task or piece of work. While being a SAHM isn't paid, for argument's sake, let's say that mom got a job in which they needed to go into an office. They would need to put their child(ren) into childcare, and those childcare providers would be paid, right? (If any of you are answering no, either I'm jealous you have grandparents/family/friends nearby or email me immediately because that place is a hidden gem.) SAHMs are unpaid childcare providers. Simple as that. To say it's a hobby is insanely offensive and also entirely untrue. As long as I'm providing definitions, a hobby is defined as an activity or interest pursued for pleasure or relaxation and not as a main occupation. Okay, lady, you bring Syd to the grocery store and tell me how relaxing that is. 

While I struggle to understand where this woman is coming from, I think within her bold statements and offensive comments she does have moments of validity. I agree; staying at home with your children is not equally comparable to a full-time career. I've been there and done that; working a full-time career and being a mother is incredibly hard. Besides accepting the fact you're leaving your most prized possession in someone else's care all day, being a working mama is usually racked with outside stress, demanding deadlines, long commutes and a LOT of mommy guilt. One of the things I struggled with most while working a 'real job' is how to work all day, drive an hour or so in traffic and then come home and have dinner made and play with my child. Seriously, how does it work?? It didn't for me or at least it didn't very well.

But I also think the writer severely misunderstood (and continues to misunderstand) the SAHM code. Telling your friends, "Soo, Sydney decided to dog paddle around the floor at Target today, which was awesome...and sanitary," doesn't mean I'm complaining and I hate my life; it just means, "Target was a shitshow today. Tell me this isn't just my child."

Swimming to freedom.

When we first took Sydney out of daycare, I was so excited. I loved maternity leave and was devastated when I had to leave her and return to work, so I was eager to get back into our routine and spend my days with her. I had these preconceived notions of what keeping her home with me looked like, and I knew it would be harder than I realized, but I honestly had NO idea what I was in for.

Now that Sydney is almost 14 months old, she's become more than a handful. She's a tiny real-life Sour Patch Kid. She might grab your coffee cup (how did she even get a hold of it??), look you straight in the eye, and slowly pour the entire thing out on your white rug -- only to follow up with crawling into your lap and giving you a big hug, patting both your cheeks and then giving you kisses. She might suddenly prefer to walk instead of sit while grocery shopping, but since she still can't walk with 100% confidence, you throw her in the actual cart and she decides it'd be fun to toss everything on the floor while you're searching for goat milk. But it's okay because she'll wave and sweetly say hi to everyone staring walking by. Or she might decide it's as good a time as any to take off a shoe and chuck it at a boy on the playground. But of course she'll blow him a kiss to make up for it.

I don't give a shit what that woman in the article says -- being a stay-at-home mom is HARD. Harder than I ever expected, harder than I ever anticipated, harder than I ever realized it could be, and I give all the stay-at-home mommies and daddies major snaps because I'm not quite positive there is any other job--yes, JOB--that tests the limits of your heart and soul like being a stay-at-home parent. In addition to being a full-time caregiver and a full-time teacher, your days never end. You're working overtime like you're getting paid time and a half times two -- except you're not. You're not getting paid a single dime. When your husband gets home, he relieves you for that 10 minutes you need to change out the laundry and get dinner started before your little one is at your feet asking to be scooped up. I have days where I feel like I'm absolutely flailing; barely hanging on and going into survival mode until Jordan comes home (and yes, we only have one so far...eek). But there were days when I was working in an office that I'd feel the same way -- barely hanging on until the clock turned five and I could go home and escape. When you're a stay-at-home mom, at least in our household, more of the housework and childcare inadvertently falls on your shoulders as well. Don't get me wrong -- Jordan is an awesome husband and a wonderful father and definitely pulls more than his fair share around the house. But because I'm at home and he's in an office, errands, appointments, dinner, cleaning, nightly wake-ups/check-ups and more are always usually done by me. I'm not complaining; I'm just saying it ain't easy all the time. When I was working at a 'real job,' those responsibilities fell pretty equally between the both of us.

Making one mess after another. That's her job.

Being a SAHM is also a little lonelier than I expected. I don't have a lot of friends who are stay-at-home moms. To be honest, we don't have a ton of friends in Colorado to begin with (they're all mostly back in MN!), let alone friends who have kids, let alone friends who stay home with said kids. Thankfully, though, through a mom group I joined last winter and believe it or not through social media, I have met some pretty awesome moms and have gotten Syd and myself signed up for more playdates and classes. I know, it sounds so funny -- meeting friends through Instagram? But laugh or judge away all you want; these women are some of the most wonderful, gorgeous, kind-hearted, genuine, talented, intelligent, empathetic, hilarious and real moms I've ever met -- for REALS. Ladies, I heart you big time. Thanks for all the laughs.

Most importantly, though, being a SAHM comes with the most rewarding benefits as well in my opinion. It's no secret I'm obsessed with my daughter and can't get enough. She's the sweetest baby (for the most part, haha) and is so loving. I could hold her and smother her with kisses all day if that was acceptable (or productive). But more than that, watching your baby sit up on their own for the first time, taking their first step, saying their first word...they're all experiences I got to witness that I wouldn't trade for any 'real job' in the world (except maybe Chris Harrison's job...I would love to be the host to The Bachelor/ette). When Sydney falls down (which is all the freaking time these days), I feel so lucky that I get to scoop her up and give kisses and encouragement to try again. I love that she says, "Mama, mama, mama, mama," when she's tired or sad or sick; I love that she still reaches for me when she's in hysterics or when she wants to show me her newly found treasure. I feel lucky and blessed beyond belief that I get to be there for her for all these moments, and I feel thankful and full of gratitude for my husband who is allowing me to have these moments. I constantly go back and forth between working and not working and I'm not 100% convinced I have it all figured out, but regardless of what happens, I feel so lucky this is my job right now.

In my opinion, there is no inferior-superior job ranking; both SAHMs and working moms have it equally tough no matter how you slice it because being a parent in general is tough. The article's last three paragraphs are flat-out brutal and the writer unabashedly calls the majority of stay-at-home moms "unemployed, self-righteous idiots." I would have a field day debating this article with the writer, but the main issue I have with it is she's deliberating shaming other moms. Being a mom is hard enough without all the judgmental and catty bullshit, so why deliberately tear others down when you know they're working just as hard to be a good mom?

So we'll see. I'm still learning the ropes of my new role and both Jordan and I are still adjusting, but no matter what I am absolutely loving being home with Sydney right now. I do enjoy working and challenging myself in other ways that motherhood can't, so I can foresee myself consulting again or m a y b e opening up an Etsy shop if I can ever get up the guts, but I guess time will tell. Any SAHMs have any advice for me? Or any working moms??

Hope you guys are all having a fabulous Thursday -- and be sure to check in tomorrow and on my Instagram because I'm announcing a fun giveaway!

HINT HINT.

Garth Brooks + Playground Life

Do you ever get excited for a weekend of nothing? No set plans, no visitors, no obligations? I may be alone here, but sometimes when we've been constantly on the go I get kind of happy to look at the calendar and see a few blank squares ahead. Anyone with me?

The only thing we had planned this weekend was to see Garth Brooks in concert, which I was beyond looking forward to. Not only was I super excited to see his show (I saw him once when I was a sophomore in high school, and it was awesome), but I was also curious to see how he'd be holding up with his tour. Like he's done in many other cities, Garth was putting on back-to-back shows in Denver -- nine shows in six days to be accurate, and yes, that means three times he planned to put on two shows in one day. What the hell -- HOW? Jordan and I had tickets to see his later show on Friday night at 10:30 PM, and as we were waiting in line to enter the Pepsi Center everyone was talking about how Garth must be in amazing shape to be able to pull off this kind of schedule.

DATE NIGHT!

Except not so much. Garth was sweaty and out of shape, and there may have been a point in the show I thought he was going to go into cardiac arrest. But WOW---was he incredible. Such a fantastic, amazing concert. He didn't come on until 11:15 because of how long it took in-between shows (getting 36,000 people in and out of the doors is no easy task), but he played well until 2:00 AM and was so awesome. If any of you get a chance to see him, I highly recommend you grab tickets!

The rest of our weekend was spent running some errands, being lazy (aka watching Iron Man 3) and going to a park near our house. We've only been to a handful of playgrounds, but Sydney is suddenly so obsessed with them you'd think they had pancake dispensers. I think it's safe to say we'll be hitting the Colorado playground scene a lot this summer.

Favorite. Thing. Ever.

The first of many heart attacks Sydney will surely give her dad.

Shameless mommy and me twinning :-)

Part of playground life is coming equipped with snacks and beverages, especially if you're the mama to Sydney. Lately I've been making her 'juices' by blending veggies, fruits and yogurt to sustain her 18-year-old boy appetite, and she can't get enough. She loves them and thinks they're milkshakes or something, but she absolutely won't drink them if they're warm (smart kid -- warm smoothies are the worst). Because I'm crazy an overachiever, when we're on the go I've been putting Syd's smoothies in one of my insulated tumblers to keep cold and then pouring them into a sippy cup when she wants to drink. I know, I know...just typing that is insanity. So you can imagine my excitement when I received an insulated cup from Nuby to review.

After a long afternoon on the playground, the Clik-it Insulated Flex Straw Cup (available at Target) is easily one of my favorite cups now. Suited for babies 12 months or older, the insulated base of the cup keeps drinks cooler for longer periods of time -- say, three hours on the playground (birth control in its finest form). The cup has Nuby's trademarked No-Spill soft silicone straw (b o n u s -- spilly sippy cups rival Pack 'n Plays for my most hated baby items ever) and Touch-Flo Technology, which activates as soon as your child puts their mouth on the spout making it easier for them to drink. Like all Nuby products, the cup is BPA free, so you don't have to worry about your child sucking on any harmful compounds or chemicals. Another bonus (which is featured on most Nuby cups) is their Leak Proof Technology where you actually hear the 'click' to know the top is locked to the cup -- this is particularly important for my sweet husband. I love the man; he's insanely intelligent and incredibly street-smart, but like most guys he lacks the tiny attention to details. When Sydney was a baby, he threw on the nipple of an Avent bottle without whim or worry that he had all the pieces and tossed the bottle in my bag. Sure enough milk. spilled. everywhere in my diaper bag because he accidentally forgot the little sealing ring. I was mad (my diaper bag smelled like my breast), Sydney was mad (she didn't have any food), Jordan was mad (because his ladies were mad)...total fiasco. But with our Nuby cups, he never has to worry about Milkgate 2015 after he hears the click. (THANK YOU, NUBY.) I was pleasantly surprised to find Sydney's smoothie really did stay cool throughout our entire time at the playground, which was good because the girl played seriously hard and needed some breaks and refueling. I was also pleasantly surprised to find the cup really didn't leak and spill on her shirt -- although that didn't matter because what she lacked in spilled smoothie, she made up for with mud, dirt and sand.

Sydney is now almost 14 months old and is a bit of a late bloomer in terms of walking. She is standing on her own and walking a bit, but like the cautious sweet girl she is you can tell she still doesn't feel 100% comfortable. I will gladly accept this, as it allows me to snuggle with my baby a little bit more and because once she takes off, I know I'll be chasing her forever.

Headwrap // Hello Baseball Tee // New Balance Infant Shoes

Hope you all had a great weekend!! Cheers to SPRING!

Colorado Baby Anderson is part of the Nuby Parent Blogger Program. While I did not receive any compensation for this post, as part of the program I have received items to sample or review. All opinions expressed are 100% honest and of my own.

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Hello Again

Oh, hi!

As some of you have probably noticed (and by some of you, I mean our families), I took an unannounced and unplanned break from blogging. I was in the middle of consulting for a couple of different companies, it was Sydney's first holiday season, I was knee-deep in planning her first birthday party, I got lazy...call it what you want; I didn't blog. And as time went on it became harder and harder to figure out how to catch up, so I just didn't, which of course seemed like a good idea at the time.

More time went by and my consulting contracts ended. The holiday season came and went, Sydney turned one, and I was suddenly left with a very sad and neglected little blog -- one I had worked so hard to keep our friends and family members updated with our life and random awkward gyno stories. Truthfully, I didn't know whether I wanted to continue blogging or not. As sad as this sounds, blogging can be a lot of work, and I just wasn't sure I was able to put forth the effort despite really liking sharing a little piece of our Colorado life. At this time I was also at a crossroads with my career; do I continue to consult? Do I move away from working and completely become a stay-at-home mom? Do I go back to a full-time job? I loved my time with Sydney. She was (and still is) learning so much every day, and I felt incredibly blessed and happy to be able to have spent my days with her -- but that would also mean becoming a one income-family, which if you know my husband, you know how much the thought freaked him out. We discussed at length what would be best for our family, what would be best for Sydney, and we ultimately decided to give me a shot at being a SAHM.

So here I was, starting to embrace my new role and wondering what to do with my blog. At the encouragement of my sweet husband and a few good friends, I decided to move forward and really try and have fun with it, but I had no clue where or how to re-start. I decided to give it a little 'facelift,' if you will (maybe update those newborn pics of Syd?), and in the midst of doing so I was contacted by Nuby and asked to join their team in the Parent Blogger program. I was blown away -- me? My little blog? At first I thought she contacted the wrong Sarah Anderson (clearly my confidence game is strong to very strong), but after confirming it was intentional I gladly and excitedly agreed. I couldn't be happier to join the Nuby family! We love their products and are stoked for this opportunity to review new and current pieces of their lines.

Thanks for hanging in there, family and old friends -- and welcome, new friends. The new and improved blog will still feature snapshots of our daily life but will also include more crafts, recipes, fashion and most likely more sarcasm and possibly more cursing as Sydney becomes her own little tornado. Stay tuned for more, including a VERY fun giveaway in the next couple of weeks!

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