W O W

i am BLOWN away by all the gifted people out there. i read blogs and get inspired by many things: photographs, fashion, their lovely homes...i can go on and on. so i go through this phase where i want to re-do SO many things, in particular ~ our home...but am restricted by budget. my problem is, i want to do everything all at once. if i had it my way i'd sit down with one of the many "gifted" people i am inspired by and give my vision and give a few essentials and let them wave their magic wand and have it be D O N E. here are some projects and inspirations i have for our home:

{via: pinterest}

{via: jdc}

common sense is to set aside a budget and begin one project at at time. my husband is in total support of this...we both love our home and now it's time to make it feel like a home. this coming Christmas will make it our 2 year anniversary since we bought it and it still looks barren. the walls BARELY have anything on them because i'm afraid to commit. it's also hard because i'd love to change the paint color of all the walls and this is why i find myself very hesitant to purchase anything...{sigh} here i go again...feeling too overwhelmed to even start.

goal: by the end of 2011, i will have finished one {or two} projects.

wants & wishes

from: potterybarn

w & w: daily system - white

{i have been eyeing this for a while now...i may just do it soon since it's on sale, and we love sales. no need for all pieces...a bit excessive. i would love the linen pinboard, letter bin and office organizer. hopefully this will help the wanghouse to be a bit more organized and look good while doing so.}

wants & wishes

from: nordstrom

w & w: marc by marc jacobs

stripe v-neck cover up

i adore this.

too bad oregon hasn't had much of a summer to really use this beautiful piece as a swim cover up.

btw, friends...who wants to build a pool in their backyard to enjoy for the summers to come?? any takers?

{i think i may use this as a series...i've always wanted someone to create a program/website where people could add things to their on-going wish list so that when birthdays, Christmas, special occasions or just to put ridiculously beautiful things they wish for to find the perfect gift. i'm very much a rachel in believing this statement: STICK TO THE LIST!!}

do over

{taken the day he was born...what a face}

do you ever have one of those days where you wish you could do it over? i get those a lot...i look to the heavens and ask God desperately for a do-over card. being a mom of a fussy one brings a lot of these kind of days...

most of the time when i run into friends or meet for playdates, jacob loses his cool. it entails a shy smile at first but once he's had it, it bumps up to full screams, deep sobs and more 'give it my all' crying. being a first time mom, i am quick to make excuses saying: he's tired, he's hungry, it's nap time...i also find my cheeks turning rosy red and my body temperature rising a quick 10 degrees hotter to make me feel very uncomfortable. at times, this would imprison me at home...fearing the trek out into society. i would feel so defeated...{sigh}

these days, i let him cry it out. i do try to make it the best scenario for the little guy...fed, clean diaper, revived from a nap...but life isn't always peachy with even the best efforts. EVERYONE has bad days...a do-over kind of day. so now i embrace that my jacob is a challenging one. i do find myself raising my voice and getting frustrated because i don't know what to do. i don't know how to "fix" him...then i am gently reminded by the holy spirit of how absolutely precious and perfect my jacob is...because he was FEARFULLY and WONDERFULLY made in HIS image. there is nothing wrong with jacob...he too, has his good and off days. i'm learning that he likes {more like LOVES} his alone time. he's not a fan of big, overwhelming crowds and hoards of people getting in his face invading his personal space. who would right??

right now, my little sweet pea is napping peacefully up in his room like a big boy. i already look forward to him waking up even after this OFF day and hearing his coos over the monitor. i love how he talks to his mobile friends and the thing that refreshes my soul and day are his smiles...he scrunches up his little nose and gives me the biggest gummiest, toothless smile - and this makes me forget about a do-over card that i asked for earlier. i know he accepts me for who i am...faults and all with his smile. he's teaching me how to forgive and to love unconditionally.

i am learning that this is a phase...a phase that i will look back on and miss {someday}. i will always pray that jacob will be who he was created to be.

jacob...you are created in HIS image. and always know, that Jesus loves you far greater than i ever could. i am so proud to be your mama and will love you till the ends of the earth. i love you my sweet baby...

naps = time for blogging

first on the agenda: CHANGE CHRISTMAS TEMPLATE...yayy!! i thought about keeping it up until this upcoming holiday season but then i'd be like THAT neighbor who keeps their lights up all year round. feels good to get that at least out of the way while the baby sleeps...

{taken moments after he was born...12.17.2010}

{taken 7.2.11...six months & some change}

there are SO many things and ideas i've wanted to blog about in the past SEVEN months...yup that's right. our little peanut just turned 7 months on sunday. there were little pockets of time i could have blogged in-between but didn't have the energy or mindset to do so...but i'm back!! the other part was...i had so many grand ideas i wanted to blog about but felt so very behind that it almost seemed pointless to start. thankfully today i am in a good place and jacob should be napping for the next few hours so i'm starting now.

being a new and first time mama conjures up so many different emotions both good and bad. i will be completely honest and say that it for sure isn't like the movies or tv shows that portray having a new baby fixes all things or brings a smile to your face EVERY single moment of your life - please don't get me wrong...i LOVE being jacob's mom and adore him to no end but it is TOUGH. scott and i faced and continue to face mountainous challenges...let me just put it out there - there were nights where i literally wanted to poke his eyes out and yell my little heart out. there were also moments when i wanted to just leave...

please note that these feelings were at its ugliest when we didn't get any sleep...and when i say we didn't get ANY sleep - i mean it...okay, we'd get MAYBE an hour and a half on good nights but man, when you do this for the first 2 months, it's brutal to say the least. however, at seven months...it is SO MUCH MORE FUN!! jacob is sleeping through the night for the most part and that means more sleep for scott and i which also means our marriage is getting stronger. i do have to say that scott has been THE most amazing partner through all of this...yes yes, i stated earlier that i wanted to "poke his eyes out" but scott has been and continues to amaze me. he has walked this daunting road of parenting by my side but more amazingly...in front - leading and pulling me at times. so scott...my love...jacob is blessed - not lucky - to have a dad like you. it shows in the way jacob's eyes lights up and gives you that winning all-gummy smile when you walk in the door. he adores you, as do i.

{dad & son...both *new* at one month}

quickie!!

he's here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

jacob matthew wang

december 17, 2010

{i've been working on his birth story but it's been taking a while to actually publish the blog with all the feedings & lack of sleep...but stay tuned!!}

100% woah woah woah!!

we absolutely LOVE dr. stewart...it's always SO fun when we see him at our appointments. today was no different...first on the agenda was a routine beta strep test. i find out the results next week. it's no big deal...if you have it they just give you an antibiotic while in labor. nurse candance said you can have it for one pregnancy and not for the next.

then dr. stewart checked my cervix...as he was checking he said, "what did i say it was the last time? - wow...it's 100% thinned!" so then it was a series of questions and answers. basically he said it's a good thing...this means my true labor could go fairly quickly. this means i could be at home and by the time i come in to the hospital i could be 4-5cm dilated and if i was planning on an epidural {YES PLEASE} i should get it done as soon as i get there. scott asked, "but it's not like it will happen so fast that she'd have the baby at home, right??" dr. stewart had a smile and told us that he couldn't rule that possibility out...hahaa THANK GOODNESS we live down the street from the hospital. and again, dr. stewart was so amazing and caring making sure we had his home number in the case we do go into labor. i feel like a ticking baby bomb...stay tuned.

here is some information i found out about my cervix being 100% thinned:
{Effacement is generally measured in percentages by doctors and midwives. When you have an exam your provider will tell you that it is anywhere from 0% to 100% which means not effaced at all to completely effaced and thin. When it is completely effaced it becomes a part of the uterine wall, allowing the baby to pass through.} so now scott and i just sit and wait. need to listen to my body and contractions...unless of course my water breaks.

*dr. stewart ~ we are so incredibly BLESSED to have you as our doctor!! thank you!!*