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{Edit: video is now uploaded below}
I am not sure if every mother feels the same way, but while the traditional milestones are so much fun and cheered on and anticipated, there are other types of milestones that are so much more special to me.

First meaningful kiss for mommy, first snuggles, first look of adoration, first baby sign, first bouncy dance to music….

This month we have hit one of the most adorable milestones I can think of that I can actually share with the world. Alexis can now sing!

She sings with me, after me, on her own. Using her high voice and her low voice, carrying the melody and dancing with her hands. She sings in her high chair when she’s had a good meal. She sings while playing with toys.

I am honestly in awe of this person growing up in front of me. She is SO much more than anything I ever imagined. It’s truly a miracle watching her grow, and I am not a sentimental person.

She’s always been very expressive from the very beginning (refer to the talking video at 3 weeks), but this is just “too much”!

See for yourself!

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Part II of the November Instagrams.

It is mind blowing to me how much Lexi has grown in just one month! Can’t wait to share the December stuff {first world problem: too little time too many photos}

1. Typical Meals. I don’t get a chance to cook a lot, because Lexi usually wants mommy, so daddy ends up being the chef. But when I do cook, it’s 5-6 meals at the same time {multitasker and overachiever anyone?}

This picture shows an evening worth of food made: raddish and cucumber dill salad, vegan pizza with vegan pepperoni and vegan cheese, sauteed cabbage and carrots, roasted fingerling potatoes with portobella caps, vegetable soup.

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Today I will start a series of posts that are probably the most requested ones of all time.

Photography for Mommies

(it’s like “photography for dummies” books, but it’s mommies. Get it? Get it?)

It’s not a series for people who are well versed in photography. This will be written for beginners, new mommies and veteran mommies, who are looking to get better pictures of their kids and themselves, and their families, and their dog, you get it!

I wanted to start this series with a post about photography gear for two reasons:

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Another photo dump! Skip it, if you’re not interested. This is mostly here for posterity.

Some 9-10 months photos

Seen in the photos:

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I am enjoying my time off with my family and trying to get some stuff done ( the reason why I’ve been a bit absent despite the cutest photos that are burning a hole in my LR or the awesome posts I really want to write). But since I’ve had my November Instagram photos all ready to go in the drafts, I figured I might as well post them.

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I would like to thank all our readers and supporters for being so awesome

and wish you all a Merry Happy Warm Christmas!

Here’s a smile from our little angel!

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COUNTRY GIRLS!

These outfits make me want to find a pasture and sit back in the sun with a straw in my mouth and a dandelion in my hair while the cows are loudly chewing on grass around me.

We wore this to a La Leche group meeting a friend invited us to a few months back.

This has got to be my favorite onesie that I bought for Lexi. It’s by Sophie Catalou, bought through MyHabit. I barely even shop for myself there anymore, but some of the children’s brands they feature are so amazing.

This was the 2nd time she wore shoes and was kind of still freaked by having something on her feet. Luckily, that passed and now she is a proud wearer of 6 pairs of PediPeds. And you should see her running around with her one arm trusted out and holding onto our hands with the other arms. It’s the cutest thing ever. (video in due time)

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B. TOYS are the most original toys that you will find on the shelves of toy stores. Aside from nontraditional baby colors and fully recycled and recyclable packaging, B. Toys truly represent what is, in my mind, creativity and innovation.

I remember when I first bumped into B Toys online. I was going over and over their toy list literally excited for all the toys I will get to buy for Alexis. It wasn’t long after B. Toys sent me a few of their items to try, that I went ahead and ordered most of  their Lexi-appropriate toys.

When it comes to safety, here is where B. Toys are at according to their customer service. B. Toys do not have any BPA, they meet the standard requirements for lead and other substances. MOST of their toys are PVC free, except for soft squishy ones ( damn those soft toys that just require PVC!). And while I personally do not buy ANYTHING PVC if I can help it, if you do have soft squishy B toys, you can breathe a sigh of relief over the fact that B. Toys does not use phthalates at all. Instead they use citric acid as a softener (unlike most other companies that use PVC who DO use phthalates and simply try to keep it under the government mandated maximum)

One fun thing that B. Toys does is include funny quotes from real children in their toy tags, so whenever we get a new BToy, Andrew and I sit down and read through those and laugh.

So here are some of our favorite toys.