a cold remedy.

Our Brooks has a take-no-prisoners cold and it has officially worn out its welcome. The impact it has had on my bitty is absolutely heartbreaking. We have been busy chasing that runny nose, trying not to laugh when he sneezes (because it is so so cute, except when he has a mouthful of food), staring into those watery eyes, and cursing that cough.

The other night I got up twelve times with Brooks over an 8 hour span. Two of those times I had to use the snot sucker because he could. not. breath. Bless him. The hardest part of this cold is that there is nothing that I can do or give JB to bring healing to his body. We just have to wait it out and let it run its evil course. BUT, thankfully, there are things that I can do to alleviate those pesky symptoms. 

Let me just go ahead and state that I am "one of those moms" who cloth diapers. I am "one of those moms" who makes her own baby food. And yep, you guessed it, I am "one of those moms" who doesn't like to give her little one over-the-counter drugs. No, I am not a health freak, but having a baby sure has made me move closer to that end of the spectrum. 

With that being said, I spent a couple of days researching natural, homemade remedies for the common cold and cough that are safe to use on little ones. I came across blogger Heather, aka the Mommypotamus, who has a heart for nourishing her family the natural way. She concocted a DIY All-Natural Vapor Rub safe for babes under two that takes only 5 minutes to whip up. 5 minutes? No brainer. 

Yesterday afternoon Brooks and I ventured to Whole Foods to gather the ingredients. I already had Spectrum Coconut Oil on hand, but you can find it at Whole Foods too. 

What you'll need:

• 4 teaspoons of grated beeswax or grassfed beef tallow (I used beeswax)
• 2 tablespoons shea, cocoa, or mango butter (I used shea butter)
• 8 tablespoons of coconut oil
• 30 drops of high quality, therapeutic grade essential oils: 10 drops of eucalyptus smithii, 10 drops of tea tree, 5 drops of lavender, and 5 drops of chamomile 

(Visit her post here to see what oils to use based on age of your child)

Step ONE: Grate the beeswax.

Step TWO: Melt the beeswax and shea butter in a double boiler (I don't have a double boiler so I just used a saucepan).

Step THREE: Once melted turn off the heat and add coconut oil and essential oils.

Step FOUR: Pour into a clean glass jar with a tight fitting lid (I used a mason jar). Makes only about 3/4 cup...so I tripled the recipe.

It took several hours to harden. I recommend letting it sit over night before use.

Also, it can be stored at room temperature for up to one year.

We tested the rub out last night and it worked wonders. I put a little dab on Brooks' chest and on the bottom of his toes before bedtime. I also put a few drops of chamomile and eucalyptus oil in his cool mist humidifier to help him breath easier. He still coughed and sneezed a bit throughout the night, but never woke up needing me to console him...or suck the snot out of his nose. He woke up a much happier baby this morning and for that I am grateful. Thanks, Mommypotamus!

fourth festivities.

No sun or lake fun for the Fourth this year. Waaaaaaah. We were pretty bummed about it, but didn't let it rain on our parade or dampen our spirits. Pun intended.

We started our day off right with a Fourth of July breakfast of champions: vanilla star-shaped pancakes topped with blueberries, strawberries, syrup and whipped cream. YUM.

The rest of the day was filled with star-spangled spritzers, red, white and blue brewskies, corn dip, smoked ribs, a visit from friends, and a game or two of washer toss.

After my boys were in bed, I watched the firework displays on the tube. Not as magical as seeing them in person, but they still made this girl happy and emotional (the meaning behind Independence Day + fireworks = sap fest). I love this nation and am thankful for our freedom...

...a freedom that allows me to live such a beautiful life with my beautiful boy and wonderful husband.



Our colors don't run in this household! Until next year...

american baby.

Stay, beautiful baby

I hope you

Stay, American baby

American baby

Dave Matthews Band

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!

u.s.yay.

TWO MORE DAYS until the most wondrous holiday of them all. I cannot contain my excitement! Although our plans have changed (we were supposed to go to Lake Oconee with my family, but my Gram is currently in the hospital—please pray for her), we are still going to throw down red, white, and woohoo style. I'm thinking a fun-filled afternoon of grilling out, yard games, star-spangled spritzers, and perhaps a trip the pool? Anyone want to join?

Last week, I did a little bit of crafting to add some Fourth of July festiveness to the abode. I was THIS close to putting patriotic bunting on Brooks' crib, but slid back down the flag pole to reality. And this decor may or may not stay up for another week or so. Don't judge.

YAY AMERICA!

Before I sign off, I want to give my sweet husband a high-five shout-out. On Friday he brought me home a little something to show me how much he loves and appreciates me. No, he did not bring me flowers. He walked through the door with a "HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!" balloon! Swoon. He sure knows the way to my heart.

I'll keep him.

bruised.

I think that it's time to babyproof...

Yes, my child knocked over the toy basket. Yes, he got wrapped up in the computer cord. He also pulled up on the coffee table and took a tumble. His cheek and ego are currently bruised.

grocery cart.

On Thursday, Brooks graduated from being nestled in the Moby Wrap to sitting up like a big boy in the grocery cart! Our hands on boy no longer tolerates snuggling up to mama in the Moby—his head jerks from side to side and those little hands want to reach for everything in sight. Our last trip to Publix was a disaster, to put it mildly. We lost a burp cloth, a pacifier...and our patience.

Now that Brooks is sitting up on his own, I figured it was time to let him sit in the cart. Also, to be honest, I saw a woman in Buy Buy Baby the other day with what looked like a four month old sitting in the buggy seat, looked down at my six month babe whose feet were hanging out of the car seat (attached to the stroller) and thought, "it's time."

Lucky for me, Brooks LOVED it! Our first trip to Publix like a true mom and son team was a success. Oh, and if you are a germ freak like me and John (especially John...shocker), invest in a highchair/shopping cart cover. They are super cute, easy to use, and get the job done. Ours is the Itzy Ritzy Ritzy Sitzy in "Rodeo Drive." We also have the Itzy Ritzy wet bag and you better believe when Brooks is ready for snacks we will invest in the snack bags too!

snippet.

Another snippet of our life lately told in black and white:

I love every day with this boy. Happy Friday, y'all.

six month favorites.

We don't have many additions to our favorites for month six. Stay tuned for this month's favorites because it's a whole new world of fun for mama and baby. And we are only two weeks in!

1. Petit Collage Forest Friends Mobile - This super cute mobile was the finishing touch to Brooks' nursery. Made of bamboo, it goes with the rustic deer theme. It is very lightweight so it moves every time the air or fan is on, providing entertainment for B. Whenever I get him out of the crib in the morning or after a nap we stand and look at the mobile. His face lights up and he will grunt at it and reach for it.

2. Earth's Best Organic Whole Grain Rice Cereal - I first attempted to make my own batch of whole grain rice cereal to feed Brooks, but it was a complete fail. Have you ever tried to grind grains of rice?! Instead, I went with the next best option: Earth's Best Organic Whole Grain Rice Cereal. It's organic. Win. It's whole grain. Win. It is an excellent source of iron. Win. And Brooks likes it. Win.

3. Evenflo ABC SmartSteps ExerSaucer - Last month Brooks wanted nothing to do with this amusement park for babies. This month he LOVES it. It keeps him occupied for hours. Well, maybe not hours, but he sits in it while I workout every morning for at least 30 minutes. The sounds, the lights, and the textures stimulate his senses. He squeals in delight and his feet dance as soon as I put him in it. I like it because it's a great place for him to play while I get things done around the house without having to keep my eye on him the entire time. 

4. Tadpoles Playmat - I orignally wanted to purchase a SkipHop playmat for Brooks, but after doing a bit of research and one bad review after another, I opted for the Tadpoles Mat. I bought the mat because Brooks is moving and shaking these days and the fibers from our rug were getting caught in between his little fingers, which eventually make their way to his mouth. Brooks also spits up a lot while on playing on his stomach or sitting up so I wanted a surface that was easy to clean. So far, so good (other than the fact that the cats love it too, especially Goose who thinks the edges are chew toys).

5. Green Sprouts Waterproof Pocket Bibs - These bibs are PVC free, easy to clean, have a flip pocket to catch spills, and are too cute. Rice cereal is messy and sticky and when first introducing solids more food ends up on the bib than in the mouth. These bibs catch and contain the mess so well.

doughnuts.

Do you ever wake up thinking "today is a doughnut day"? I do. And Sunday was one of those days. John was out of town Friday and Saturday so Brooks and I deemed Sunday as family-day. To satiate my craving we started the day with a piece (or three) of hot glazed heaven at Krispy Kreme.

It was Brooks' first trip to the Kreme and unfortunately for him, he is still too young to share a doughnut with daddy...even though they pretty much melt in your mouth. MMM. So while we ate, he chilled in his adorbs hat. No he didn't. As you can see from the above pictures, he just wanted to tear it apart and put it in his mouth. That's okay, buddy. If I couldn't eat a doughnut, I would probably try to eat the hat too...

same outfit, different baby.

Warning: cuteness overload!

Yesterday we dressed Brooks in an adorable dump truck Jon Jon that John wore 28 years ago. 28 years! Crazy! Of course, I had to take a few pictures of this momentous occasion!

Okay, maybe momentous is an exaggeration. But, look at this sweet boy. Can you blame me?

I melt!

I also kick myself in the pants every time we take pictures outside our front door, which is actually on the side of our townhouse. (Weird). The neighbor's screens, down spout, and the water meters backdrop isn't very lovely. Lesson learned. And if you can't tell from the pictures, Brooks is really into two things lately—sticking his tongue out and his daddy. 

Now, if only I can dig up a photo of baby John wearing the same outfit. Either way, life is complete.