How would you describe your style?

LookVine called me out recently for having casual style and being a fashion influencer (which I really don't think I am). They asked to interview me for their site and gave me a few questions to answer. It really got me thinking about my style and how it has changed over my 30 years of life. If I look back there are for sure some key fashion moments that I remember. The one that I most recently shared with my husband was, when I was rocking straight wide leg elastic jeans in the 6th grade because your girl was husky. To this day my mom will tell you how horrible she felt about me wearing those but she couldn't find jeans that would fit me correctly. But you know what, I don't have bad memories about those jeans. I remember wearing them with confidence!

If I had to describe my style now, it's still confident but it for sure leans to the casual side of the spectrum. I've never been one to glam it up without having a purpose for the glam. If you see me at church that's about as glam as I get. I've turned into this tee and jeans mama and I am OK with that. Solid basics are my thing and if I venture into any type of patterns it's normally stripes. I stay within a certain color palette because through like I said earlier, 30 years of experimenting with my style, I have finally found the colors and shades I really love. Denim is my best friend, especially if it has some type of stretch in it. Accessories are minimum and not distracting and shoes are always comfortable. 

I am the type of person that has an idea of what I am shopping for and if the store doesn't have it, I don't waste my time trying to make a second option work. Being 5'5' and curvy I know what stores fit and flatter my body the best, ASOS, Old Navy, Gap, PinkBlush, and H&M are my go-to's. I've developed a keen eye and can tell just by looking at a shirt on a hanger whether it will work for me or not. This mama has very little time to mess around with fitting rooms.

If I could give you one piece of advice as a fashion influencer (which I still am not), it would be to find the styles that fit your body the best. This comes with trial and error and patience. Having a friend or in my case a husband who will give you an honest opinion about your outfit and how it looks is pretty essential too.

If something you're wearing is getting complimented think about the shape, the fabric, the color, and how you styled it. Think about how you felt in that look and try and duplicate it with something you already have in your closet. Your style doesn't need to have any rules. Express who you are and wear what you like. Shop for what fits your body and don't worry about what the tag says (you're the only one who can see it anyways). And most importantly, if you wear it with confidence you'll always be best dressed, like me in the 6th grade rocking those elastic husky girl jeans.

So tell me, how would you describe your style? Give me one word and your go-to store!

-Bee

Check out my article in LookVine here!

Family Planning [Mom & Dad don't read this]

"Would you like your tubes tied while we're in here," asked the doctor performing my C-section?
"No thank you, my husband would kill me," I replied!

While my husband and I were dating we talked about our future family and how many kids we wanted. I remember that conversation like it was yesterday. We were sitting in the parking lot of a Chili's waiting for friends when we decided we would have 5 kids and no dog. However, if we got a dog, we would have 4 kids. Fun conversations about our future family were sprinkled into date nights and shortly after our engagement those conversations became more serious. As we approached our wedding day Fabian and I needed to decide together our true family plan.

Both of us were virgins and had saved ourselves for each other. I never had a need to look into birth control or any family planning method but with our wedding day approaching I needed a plan. We had talked about birth control together but never really felt a peace about it and didn't think it was for us. We for sure knew we didn't want kids right away so despite not really agreeing on a plan I met with my OB and that same day I started birth control. The Nuva Ring to be more specific. I was fine for a couple months and didn't notice any side effects other than some moodiness. I was mostly concerned about weight gain but for some reason I lost that extra 5lbs right before my wedding. I stayed on the Nuva Ring for 4 months. Still no other true side effects other than moodiness. But this moodiness y'all was like a roller coaster. It had me going up and down emotionally at lightening speed. I was happy one minute and then in the next minute fuming mad giving everyone the silent treatment. My mood was all over my face and everyone could see it.

This moodiness began to affect our marriage and since we were newlyweds learning how to live with one another, cope with two different schedules, and lifestyles, being emotionally unstable did not help at all. We were arguing a lot and ironically our arguments were centered around not agreeing about this decision of birth control. Fabian would tell me, "you need to get off that thing!" I heard his concerns but I didn't want to get pregnant. I started praying hard about the decision I had made and God very clearly told me to stop taking it.

In my fear of getting pregnant before it was time, I choose not to listen to God or my husband and continued the Nuva Ring for another month. And just as you suspected we continued to arguing about it. It was ruining date nights, time with family, and basically our marriage. I remember clear as day the final argument we had and I remember the moment where I thought, "Enough is enough! God knows the timing of our child and I need to obey Him and my husband and remove this medication that is altering what my body is naturally supposed to do." So there I was sitting in our apartment listening to my husband tell me once again, "take that thing out of you!" That Sunday evening, I stopped taking my birth control.

As soon as I obeyed what God and my husband had said, our marriage was peaceful. We were on the same page and my stubbornness and fear of getting pregnant was lifted and we left things in God's hands. Now don't get me wrong we had conversations about protection and we were not careless. We simply were not going to allow ourselves to put fear into our intimacy. There is no fear in love.

I found out I was pregnant only 2 months after stopping my birth control. The moment I got to tell Fabian was one that I should've recorded but will remember forever. His tears of pure joy reassured me that we had made the right decision and that God blessing us for our obedience. Fast forward to now and Jax is about to be one. Our views remain the same when it comes to birth control. Although, I came home from my post-partum OB visit with a handful of brochures and that fear of getting pregnant tried to creep in again. But I knew we were not going to choose a birth control option.

I understand this is a controversial topic and my attitude towards anyone choosing a family planning method is basically this, "you do you boo." I think it's great that we as women have options but those options just aren't for me. It added fear into my marriage and turned me into a skinnier more moody version of myself. I'll keep the extra curves in order to maintain a peace in my marriage and keep fear out of the bedroom.

I want to know your experience with birth control. Did you feel great and find a good family plan for you? Did your mood get altered too? Let's talk about it and support one another!

-Bee

What happened to my birth plan?

I think it's safe to say that I watched about 100 birth story videos on YouTube with the anticipation of having my own story to tell. This mama likes to plan so after hearing what happened to other women I made a birth plan that Fabian had agreed to help me follow. Keep reading to find out how nothing went according to that plan.

Very early on I had decided that I didn't want anyone else in the labor and delivery room with us. Baby daddy and doctors, that's all I wanted. We both decided that we would have some time to ourselves doing skin to skin with our baby before family members were allowed to come in and join us. We would tell our families though and if they wanted to wait they could. My family was in Michigan so other than a couple phone calls and some face-timing we didn't need to do much. I had planned to push baby out so I was 100% getting an epidural but did not want pitocin. I heard a lot of negatives and positives but I knew that I was not going to be able to take the pain especially if it lasted for hours. Fabian also told me that was not going to look and not to expect him to cut the umbilical cord because he was scared. A couple more minor things that I wanted in my birth plan was to go to the hospital after eating one more time, taking a shower, and I didn't want to battle any traffic on our way to the there. With that plan in place and bags packed we just waited for my water to break.

My water broke at 4:45pm on a Friday afternoon. There was no time to shower so we grabbed our stuff as I glanced at the clock and said to Fabian, "we're gonna hit traffic." On the way to the hospital he asked if I wanted to grab a burger to eat. When my water broke he was on his way to pick up dinner but had to turn around without the food. I said, no to the burger. I was dilated to a 4 so we had some time to wait and since I got my epidural they started pumping me with, pitocin. Since Fabian didn't eat dinner either, his sisters and parents joined us while we were waiting and flooded the room with the smell of Whataburger. After being in labor for 11 hours I was finally at a 10 and it was time to push. I pushed for 2 hours but nothing was happening. Baby would move a little but then go back up. Fabian's mom then came into the room and my mom was on speakerphone, I pushed for another hour and after the sweetest compliment that I have ever heard, "you have a very petite pubic bone," we knew Jax was not going to fit. C-Section.

I can honestly say that as they prepped me for a c-section I felt so peaceful. I knew the birth plan had changed and there was nothing I could do about it. They quickly wheeled me into the operating room and as I listened to the doctors and nurses just casually chatting away I was very aware that they were about to cut me open to get my son. I was a little relieved to know that the pushing was over and that I wouldn't rip or tear but knew that my recovery would look a lot different than what I had planned for. None of that mattered, I was about to hear the first cries from my son Jax.

Jax was born at 7:37am on June 17, 2017 weighing 9lbs and 2oz. I didn't see him get weighed or measured and I was unable to do skin to skin with him right away because I was shaking so badly, it wasn't safe. Family followed us back to our room and we all celebrated the birth of our first son. Later when I had calmed down and we were alone Fabian told me, "love, I know I said I wasn't going to look but... I saw it all. I even saw when they pushed on your belly and something popped out. The doctor caught it in a pan." We have videos and photos because my husband was the one who got to experience all the firsts with Jax.

Now looking back on my birth story, I wouldn't change anything. Not even the stench of Whataburger in our labor and delivery room. However your littles come into this world whether vaginally, a c-section, a surrogate, adoption, at your home or in a hospital. Once that baby is in your arms it won't even matter.

Everyone's story is unique just like their babies. Whether your birth went exactly as planned or if everything just happened and you had no choice but to go with the flow. Rest assured that God's hands were all over you and your baby. His plan is always the best one.

Happy National Cesarean Awareness Month! Feel free to read more about my birth story here! 

The Month Of February

New month. New goals. At least that's what my blogpost from 2012 opened with. Yes, I wrote a similar post 6 years ago and ironically I had very similar goals. Things like, de-clutter my closets, workout more, sleep more than 6 hours a night, and eliminate excess spending.

Let's just say for us, January wasn't so bright. Our finances got hit big time and we didn't adjust our spending habits and found ourselves getting one of those fun notifications on your phone saying "your account went below $__." Whoops. That was a giant wake up call and when we added up all the dollars spent on meals not prepared in our kitchen it was time to do something about it.

For the month of February we are cutting down our meals away from home to two per week. That may still seem like a lot but let me tell you, it's a giant decrease from where we started from. Fabian and I talked and thought it would not only be a challenge for us but also a good way to keep our finances in check. Y'all food can add up real fast if you don't keep track of it.

Another thing that we're going to get in rotation is a cleaning schedule. Having tripled our square footage from our tiny apartment we are learning that there is now so much more that has to stay clean inside and outside of our home. Doing a little bit each day instead of a 3-4 hour power clean on the weekend is going to be our plan. Omg, we're real adults!

One more family goal is to get outside more. Since Texas is starting to kinda sorta make up it's mind weather wise we're going to be taking more walks together as a family, letting Jax wander around in the grass, and overall get more fresh air.

And once again, I've said it for the past few months that I was going to start running again. I can tell you that each month I do make an effort. But this month I need to make a better effort. Someone hold me accountable please.

What are you planning to accomplish in February?

-F & B and Jax

Self Confidence Building

If I have learned anything from this first half of January it's a big ol' lesson in confidence. Yes, I am talking about confidently rocking that little roll that sits right on top of my pants but I am also talking about speaking with confidence and having a firm trust in myself.

There is a tone of authority that comes with confidence. It's not an arrogant melody or sense of "I am better than you." It's a firm belief that you know what is best for your child, your family, and more importantly you know what is best for you. Self confidence.

I am in a season of life where my voice of confidence is being turned up. I think we can fear our confidence because we are worried about how something may sound or what someone else may think of our decision. I had someone last week tell me that my son told him he wanted his mom to put shoes on him cause his feet were cold. I quickly said, "my son is fine and his feet are plenty warm." Confidence.

I am so done with my confidence being quickly turned into insecurity because of fear. I want my voice of confidence to make me stronger, make me more decisive (especially when it comes to picking restaurants), allow me to forgive quickly, and walk around with a posture of gratitude.

Every little piece of life that God has entrusted me with is there for a reason. He has confidence in me and that should be all I need. Confidence doesn't come from likes, followers, or even my husband affirming my actions or my little roll above my pants.

My confidence is found within and it's growing on the outside so y'all better watch out!

-Bee

2018 resolutions

We're not making new years resolutions. Don't get me wrong, we still have goals for this month that you can read below. But you will not find any resolutions here.

In 2017 God gave me more of a noise than a word to declare over my year. It was a mix between "whew," "ugh," or "pow." I think God knew I needed more than a word that year and more of a battle cry. 2017 challenged us as a family to use our voices to declare healing, blessing, freedom, and more faith.

As Fabian and I look back at 2017 we obviously think about our biggest blessing, our son Jax. God picked the perfect time for us to start a family and our precious Jax was born in June shortly after we celebrated our first wedding anniversary.

Something else that was quite a journey for us was the search for our first home together. I think we looked at over 30 houses and almost gave up until we found the perfect home for us make our own. Our new house has become our home and we love it.

The overwhelming theme of 2017 for the Vera family was God showing up and shifting our plans and turning them into  His plans for us. Last year there were so many different ways He showed up in our lives and it's funny to say now, "oh... so that's why that happened." God knows how everything is supposed to come together and He likes to challenge us as we walk through each season. He definitely did that for our family in 2017. Because 2017 was a challenge.

We had a very rocky start to 2018 but as we tackle this second week we're going to keep in mind that God already knows the outcome and knows the why behind every moment. It's a hard reminder, but somehow it brings a sense of peace to know that God is the ultimate planner and He has our best interest in mind with every little season of life.

Our January goal can be summed up in one word. Health.
We're striving for health and healing in both of our bodies, souls, and minds this month.

-Fabian, Bee, & Jax

Twas the Night before Christmas & the flu test was positive

Our first Christmas as a family of three looked quite different than we all expected. Some how Fabian came down hard with the flu and spent most of Christmas in our bedroom. His fever got up to 102.6 and he wasn't able to keep any food down or speak louder than a whisper. We ended up at two different clinics getting him meds and tests for strep and the flu. Thankfully he was able to come out and open presents with my family on Christmas morning. We still have yet to celebrate Christmas with his side of the family. Hopefully that will happen this week.

Our Pastor reminded me that he didn't say "in sickness and in health" during our vows but he said, "in every season." Well, the flu season is included in that statement. This past weekend showed me how much more grace I need and also how grateful I am for our families that were able to help. Jax did so great as we gracefully walked through each eventful moment of the weekend. Thankfully him and I have stayed flu free. Praise God for Lysol wipes.

Christmas break didn't go as we planned but we're together as a family and were able to create memories. We started a new tradition, Christmas Brunch at our home with my family. I cooked up a pinterest worthy skillet, cinnamon rolls, and my mom brought the tamales and fruit.

My brother even flew down from Michigan to spend the week with us. That was his present from my parents. I am always excited to see him anytime he gets a chance to come to Texas. Jax is still trying to warm up to him but little by little their personalities are starting to mesh.

Despite sickness coming to try and ruin our weekend we said, "not today Satan" and carried on! Enjoy some moments that we captured during our Christmas! Thankfully as I write this Fabian is feeling much better. That big fuzzy blanket I got him for Christmas came in handy this weekend.

 

We hope that you had a great Christmas filled with memories!

 

-F & B and Jax

Just in Time for the Holidays with Jord

This post contains affiliate links. Opinions are my own.

The first Christmas Fabian and I spent together I had no clue what to get him for a present. We had only been dating for a few months and I still had so much to learn about him. I was an observant girlfriend though and found out quickly what his style was and what he liked to wear. I found myself buying him a watch that holiday and two years later I have added a few more watches to his collection. I think a watch is such a great accessory for anyone and you can never have too many. My husband also taught me the importance of having a watch that works and is well taken care of. He even made us a place for our watches to be stored in our bedroom!

I was sent the stacked sandalwood & olive with ivory wood watch from JORD  to review and gift to someone special for the holiday season. It's a new watch that is a part of their Hyde series. The minimal and classic style is the perfect accessory for any outfit, whether it's for work or the weekend.

I love how beautiful the JORD packaging is with each of their watches. Each watch comes in a wooden box, which maintains the perfect humidity level for your wood watch while it's not on your wrist. It also has a faceplate made of sapphire crystal glass, which my husband also taught me it is so hard to scratch this type of glass. If you're wearing your watch every day you need to look for this higher end feature! This may not be the best watch to wear during a Texas summer because of the extreme heat but for right now it is perfect. I am excited to see it be gifted this Christmas and I have no doubt that they will love it!

I am excited too because the awesome team at JORD is giving y'all your unique code for 25% off their wood watches. (Code ends on Dec 15, 2017) I know there is someone on your Christmas list that would love one of these, maybe it's even you. Go ahead and ENTER HERE to be emailed your code. Check out each line of men's and women's watches and pick the perfect watch for yourself or someone else. Let me know in the comments which watch is your favorite!

 

-Bethany

It's December already?

The last month of the year is always more important to me than the first month of the year. Yes, it's important to start strong but I think that sometimes the starting in life is easy. Yes, I started a new diet today but will I continue until I reach my goal? Will I finish strong? That's kind of how I feel about December. I want to finish 2017 on a high and continue it into the next year.

Ok, enough motivation talk.

This last month was pretty life changing for The Veras! We closed on our first home! It was a long process but it was totally worth it. We quickly started making it our own by painting and re-doing some things in the kitchen. It looks so different now and is totally more our style. We took about 3 weeks to make it our own and are excited to move in!

Also, my brother came down from Michigan for Thanksgiving! The last time he was in Texas was when Jax was born in June. We all missed him very much but no one missed him as much as my mom. If you caught my instastory when we picked him up at the airport you'll remember she was pretty emotional. She kept telling me, "you'll understand one day when Jax is away from you."

My brother and I are pretty close despite having totally different personalities and living a thousand miles away from each other. Nate loved getting to see Jax. He also quickly learned that he scares pretty easily when he let out a giant sneeze in the car and Jax started crying. I see a little bit of my brother in Jax, Nate also has the dimple in his chin. They both are little goobers together that's for sure.

When my brother knew he was coming down he asked if Fabian and I could take him to Austin. I planned a two day trip for us as we coordinated with Glamma to have her watch Jax. It was our first trip without our baby and it was pretty great. It was weird to not have a baby on my hip or to be travelling with so much stuff! I thought that I would have some anxiety being away from him but Fabian and I both knew that he was in great hands. It was nice to recharge and have that time together. We explored some of our favorite spots in Austin as well as new ones. Nate had a good time and said he wanted to come back. He's a videographer and a creative weirdo, Austin is the perfect spot for him. Of course we had to make a pit stop at Magnolia Market on the way to ensure that Nate got the full experience.

As far as our family goals for this month, we just have one main goal. Make our house a home.

 

We're excited to make each room feel and look like us. To finally have space to invite friends and family over without feeling cramped. To get Jax out of the hallway he has been sleeping in and give him an actual bedroom. And we can't wait to host our first Christmas brunch! Let's finish 2017 strong! 

Happy December!

- F & B and Jax

Stories from Fatherhood Pt. 1

There are lots of daily moments that make me stop and think about this whole thing called Parenthood. Moments when I realize how much my life has changed and how I wouldn't give it up for anything.

I was mediating the other day when Jax was having a hard time with his poop. I just kind of sat there and was worried about him. And to be honest I was a little bit scared. It made me realize how a year ago and even four years ago I would never think pooping would be something that would become so important. Or that I would be so concerned about someone else's poop. Or even talk about poop so much. But there I was praying that God would let my son poop.

Priorities change when your world is changed. You suddenly care so much for someone who has been a part of your life for such a short period of time. Every little thing about them means the world to you. Even a little thing like poop. 

That's it. 

P.S. Jax pooped later that day and it made me happy.

-Fabian

November Monthly Calendar [Vera Family Goals]

We put another month behind us and October for the Vera family was full of growth, hard conversations, change, and basically a lot of adulting. We watched our son roll over for the first time and heard him make noises that really sounded like words. We also saw him take his first spoonful of solids, which he loved! Our relationship and marriage took growth steps that were necessary. Hard. But necessary. 

This past month we also made a very adult step towards our future (stay tuned). We're excited to enter into November! Thanksgiving is one of our favorite holidays as a couple and we can't wait to celebrate it as a family. Being surrounded by tons of family is always so much fun for us and this month is going to be jam packed with family. Including Tio Nate, from Michigan!

Before we roll into our November goals, let's take a peek at our October Goals and see how we did. We hit 2/3 of our family goals, my husband hit all of his goals and is really inspiring me to succeeded at what I say I want to do. I have seen him reading his devotionals and we've had great conversations around what God is speaking to him. I've also watched him continue to make healthy decisions when it comes to eating. I personally think he looks slimmer.

I hit most of my goals but know I could've don't better. I went running twice, which is 2 times more than I ran in September. I practiced and educated myself more about photography and even attended a few webinars to improve my skills. I read my devotional but not daily. I know it needs to be something that I do first thing in the morning every day. This goal is going to roll over into November for me until it becomes a habit. I am still working to lose this extra baby weight but also understand that it comes with time and daily choices of better eating and staying active. I am not going to commit myself to another Whole30 this month but will continue to make the right choices daily to reach my weight loss goals.

What did you achieve in October? What is your goal for November?

Here's what we plan to do...

Family Goals
Move into our new home!
Eat at home more (especially on the weekends)
Walk outside

Fabian's Goals
"Can I just say, be a better man?"
Exercise more

Bee's Goals
Workout in the morning
Cook something new each week
Read my devotional first thing in the morning.


-F, Bee, & Jax
(written by: Bee)

Oh Hey October [Vera Family Goals]

Hello October! Before we get into our Vera Family goals for this month let's do a quick check in to see how last month went. Just as a reminder, quick go check out our September goals.

I don't know if we set ourselves up for a really big month or not but between searching for a home, both working full time, and having an infant, our September was tough. We didn't go on a date. The house we found royally failed the home inspection so we walked away from it. Let's also add that mama was doing a Whole30 (no sugar...) so my moods were a roller coaster.

Needless to say, I went 24 days on my Whole30 and broke it with a cheeseburger. I stopped saying, "no it's ok" and allowed others to actually help me but it didn't last long, maybe 2 weeks. I don't know if I want to control things or I just feel bad having to ask for help? I think my Spanish speaking was better, not sure. Ask my husband about that one.

I will say that I am so proud of my husband. He really did great with his goals this past month. He took time to read our little children's bible to Jax each night. I also did not see my husband drink one Coke during September. We made it a team goal to continue to cook and shop healthy and we both lost weight last month!

I've been enjoying talking with my husband about our short term goals so as we've entered into another month we wanted to challenge ourselves again to make some goals. Without any goals I feel like we live day to day. We wanted to put more purpose and intention into our days and our time together as a family and as husband and wife. So here's what we intend to do this month!

Family Goals
Get tattoos (more to come...)
Find a house, for real this time!
Put our phones away when we're together as a family.

Fabian's Goals
Grow closer to God through daily devotionals.
Continue healthy eating and living.

Bee's Goals
Read my devotional every day.
Start running again.
Practice photography more.

Do you have any goals for this month? Share them with us?

-F & B and Jax

It's September! [Vera Family Goals]

It's here! A new month! Every time we hit a new month it seems to take me by surprise. Summer is coming to an end and here in Texas that means, the chain of 100 degree days has been broken. The weather is becoming tolerable which will allow us to go for evening walks as a family. I feel like the past three months have been a whirlwind. Things at home have continued to run smoothly however both my husband and I know that it can be better. Our teamwork can be better as husband and wife and also as papi and mama.

So since we are starting a new month we wanted to set some goals for us. Personal goals and family goals. We went out last night to a new spot for dinner and talked about our goals for this month. Reconnecting during a busy week is so important for us and what better than to reconnect over some good barbeque from Heim? I know Jax doesn't look too thrilled to be third wheel on his parent's date night but he really was excited. Probably a little jealous too that he couldn't eat the brisket yet.

We want to encourage you to make some goals for yourself this month. Take a look at your life and pick a couple things that you're passionate about and really go for it this month. Pick an area that you need improvement and commit to making it better. Whatever your goal is, remember the cliché statement... no goal is too big or too small! Commit to achieving them, celebrate when you do, and go ahead and ride the motivation into the next month and set some different ones. Here's a peak into our goals for this month.

Family Goals
Manage our finances better.
Find a house.
Pack our lunches during the work week.

Fabian's Goals
Stop drinking Coke.
Read more to Jax.
Take my wifey out on dates.

Bee's Goals
Complete a Whole30 (for real this time).
Stop saying, "No, it's ok."
Speak more Spanish.

What are you goals? Share them with us!
-F & B and Jax

Two Months!

As each month of our son's life passes we learn more and more about him and about each other. Jax is now successfully sleeping 7.5 hours through the night! We have been doing some sleep training with him and it's totally paying off. He wakes up so much happier and also has longer stretches of play between each nap. He is a night owl like his parents and likes to party with us until 11 or so before knocking out for the night.

This month was full of family! Jax was able to party until midnight and celebrate his tía Jenni's quinceanera while meeting members of his extended family that came into town for the party. This boy has no idea how loved he is by all his family members. 

Jax loves to stare at the ceiling fan and chilling on his changing table while dad sings to him in Spanish. Our osito has become more vocal and has a cute little sing song voice. He is smiling more and responding to our voices. He's also figured out that he has hands! It's the cutest thing watching him stare at his hands and try and figure out how his fingers work. He has started grabbing onto some of his toys on his playmat. He's almost fully transitioned into 3-6 mth clothes and will leave some 0-3 mth unworn outfits behind. 

Seeing him grow up right before our very eyes is the best! I think every month we watch him grow we become even stronger as husband and wife. Jax, you are making us the best parents that we can be for you! 

-F & B

Weekend Wrap Up [ pancakes, tulips, & bears, oh my! ]

I love to spend my weekends two different ways. The first includes pjs, the couch and plenty of Netflix binging. The second includes family. This past weekend was spent with Fabian's family and from start to finished we filled the day with new experiences, laughter, and good food.

Our sunny Saturday morning started with breakfast at IHOP and ended back at his parents in the evening after the temperature dropped about 25 degrees (we were not prepared for that.) We drove for about an hour to Pilot Point to the most beautiful tulip field. Coming from Michigan, I had been used to Tulip Time every year. Seeing all the beautiful Texas tulips was a bit nostalgic for me.

We enjoyed walking through the aisles looking at all the unique colors and figuring out how to pick them from the ground properly. While at Texas Tulips we saw a sign for a wildlife ranch. We ventured down the street after picking tulips to check out Sharkrosa Wildlife Ranch. I think that's why I love spending time with my in-laws so much. Everything is spontaneous and it stretches me out of my comfort zone (I am a BIG planner). It was really cool seeing all the unique animals they had and being able to feed and pet them. We ended our time at the Ranch with a freezing cold tram ride getting us up close and personal with the wildlife. The whole day ended with pizzas. The perfect Saturday.

Enjoy some moments from our family weekend. (Also, I am aware that Fabian and I match. Let the record show he did get dressed first but I already had my outfit planned in my head. Oh well, we just went with it.)

- F & B