Life Lately, In Snapshots // The End-of-Fall Edition

1. chicago family staycations rules.  //  2. gorgeous view on an evening walk/run. //  3. apartment therapy featured essley's nursery. i was stoked. check it out right here.  //  4. i got a haircut. essley wasn't pleased.  //  5. a very special visit with robbie's nana, who essley got to meet for the first time. (more on that below.)  //  6 + 7.  halloween fun in indianapolis.  //  8. robbie ran the chicago marathon and killed it.  //  9. essley and her BFF.  //  10. sincerely the best vegan restaurant i've ever experienced. native foods ftw.  // 11. first pumpkin patch. not impressed.  //  12. teaching essley about all the bad ass women who make it so we have the right to do this. //  13. three peas in a pod at essley's boyfriend jackson's first birthday party.  //  14.  the great grandkids released blue balloons at robbie's nana's memorial. beautiful moment.  //  15.  card season is in full effect in the art shop.  //  16. basically a teenager. 

The blog has been full of a lot of non-personal posts lately, so it seemed like it was time for a 'Life Lately' update. My last update (almost three months ago) was titled "The End-of-Summer Edition," and here we are almost into winter. Times flies and all that stuff. Those of you who follow me on my Instagram account (@bubbyandbean) likely already know what's been up around these parts, but for the rest of you, I hope you enjoy this little glimpse.

The biggest news in our world is that Essley will be 11 months old at the end of this week. That means she's going to be a year old really freaking soon. Yeah. When you have a newborn, people repeatedly tell you how "it goes by so fast" and maybe you (like me) nod your head but give a little eye roll too because it's a cliche statement and all - but then you realize that those people are 100% right. My little bean stands on her own, walks with a hand held (and is going to walk on her own any day; lord help me), and said her first word: "dog" (yes, all of my dreams have now officially come true). She was a kitty cat for Halloween - at least for a few minutes before her makeup ended up on her hands. She loves sweet potatoes and avocado and banana chunks. She's nursing less, but we're still at it. Every time she hears a note of music, she stops what she's doing to dance. She is the best thing in my life times a million and also the greatest source of my perpetual exhaustion. So, so tired. I love her so much my heart hurts. My first fall as a mom was great because of her and I can't wait for her first Christmas.

Everything else seems sort of secondary to that, and the pictures above do most of the talking in terms of what's been happening, but let's see… Robbie was gone a lot of the fall but he's back now for most of the rest of the year and I'm stoked. We were able to visit his Nana in Kansas City at the very end of September and introduce her to Essley for the first time, which was one of the most incredible moments I've ever witnessed. Just 5 weeks later, we traveled back to Kansas City to celebrate her life at her memorial. We had no idea that she would be leaving us so soon after we saw her and we feel very lucky that we were able do so. Robbie ran the Chicago Marathon again and beat his previous time by 30 minutes. Proud wife moment. For Halloween, Essley, my mom, and I traveled down to Indianapolis to visit my sister. It was freezing and fun. I've been crazy busy with Bubby & Bean's holiday card line's wholesale and retail orders. There have been lots of birthday parties for adult and baby friends, and we just had the best Friendsgiving at our pal Eddie's place downtown on Saturday. I'm looking forward to the family version on Thursday. As for what I have planned for the coming weeks, I've really been getting back on track with my fitness and I'm running a 5K Saturday (in what will likely be below freezing temps, because I am insane; wish me luck). Robbie, Essley, and I leave very early a week from tomorrow to head down to the Dominican Republic for a week for a festival Robbie's band is doing there. I'm so excited and have promised myself to stop stressing about missing work during the busiest season of the year because this is a pretty amazing opportunity for a getaway, the end. I'm looking forward to decorating for Christmas this weekend and will be amazed if I can find a spot for the tree that is out of Essley's reach. Girl loves to touch, pull, move, and remove. And speaking of Essley, I'm starting to plan her first birthday party, which we're having on the 27th (two days after Christmas) because Robbie has to leave town for work on her actual birthday (the 28th). Yikes. There's an awful lot happening and I love it.

I really enjoy looking back at these images and seeing how much has changed in a few short months. It makes me genuinely look forward to what's to come. Fall was good, and as much as I despise winter's weather, I think winter itself might just be pretty great this year. What about you? What have you been up to lately?

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