Our Holiday Photos with Ame Rae Photography Part Four

While Amy Rae was in town, I was determined to get a Christmas card photo. I wanted something to signify our new island life. I thought using Ted's jeep and the Magen's Bay lookout point would be fun. Thankfully when we went it wasn't too busy and we set up. When we first moved to St. Thomas, Ted would drive me and Wells around in this car. It scared me half to death. It is definitely an 'island car' and not fit for precious little one. We are thankful every time it makes it over the mountain and back. Ted is actually buying a new car soon and going to put this one up for sell. This way he can help cart around our *two* kids soon and we can both rest assured he will always arrive safely to work himself.

Our Holiday Photos with Amy Rae Photography Part Three

Part three of our photo shoot in St. John with Amy Rae Photography from last December. We were at the stunning Caneel Bay Resort which is one of my favorite spots ever. We finished this day off at the sugar mill ruins on the grounds. It started lightly raining and it felt so good because it had been so hot all morning/afternoon. Part three but I'm not even down sharing photos from our time with Amy. So, stay tuned for more and in the meantime head over and check out Amy's website for other photo sessions. I love, love, love the way she captures weddings! 

Our Holiday Photos with Ame Rae Photography Part Two

I absolutely love the way Amy Rae Photography captures by using film. Continuing our photo shoot in St. John at Caneel Bay Resort. Look at all the cactus! This is exactly why I wanted to go here. The view of the mountainside, water, the trees, grass, and cactus. It's a little more difficult to pose while keeping my toddler in the game. When all he wanted to do was chase the tracker nearby (or hold a camera himself), but thankful we got some shots regardless and had fun along the way. Click here for Part One.

Our Holiday Photos With Amy Rae Photography Part One

My dear friend and talented photographer, Amy Rae Photography, came for a visit in December which was perfect timing for a photo session. Amy, Matt, and little Brooklyn were our first visitors to our home in St. Thomas. It was so much fun showing them all our new spots and views! Little did we know, we were actually pregnant with baby #2 in these photos. Isn't the location stunning? I love the scenes at Caneel Bay Resort on St. John.

Feed

In January, my cracked iphone 5 finally went caput! Smeared screen and wouldn't let me open or access anything. I plugged it in to the computer and no pictures were found. *tears* I lost a ton of pictures from our Kentucky and Puerto Rico trip in December and January. I am usually so good at backing up everything too.

I've been wondering the easiest or best way to grab my instagram feed in order to save the photos. Even when I randomly try to share on facebook, most of the the times the photos never show up. I knew, I could upload to facebook and save on there. I have been posting a lot on facebook lately so I knew I didn't want to clog feeds even more. Instead, I shared to a private flickr account individually saved each photo.

Above are some of my favorite moments from the last few months. Follow along: @Southerngrade.

Wells Emerson

Wells Emerson from Tamara Ohman on Vimeo.

Two years ago, I sent my mom flowers to my grandmother's house on Thanksgiving. She was confused as to why. She did a victory arm throw to the news and dance that I edited out. I know, I know... the video is crazy bad, but I am still thankful to have it filmed. It is the next best thing to being there in person. Ted's sister, Kristina, filmed my mother-in-law finding out. Continuing into the video, I can't apologize for the length. I do apologize for some bad quality videos. I gathered videos from everywhere including snapchat. I had to fit hours of footage into less than ten minutes (my limit for myself). I tried five but could not do it. The video spans -9 months to 15 months of life.

My heart bursts with joy and gratitude for our little boy.

His giggles are the best.

The majority of my life I've shared a thanksgiving me with strangers, friends, and bystanders. Spending lots of Thanksgivings serving, feeding, and friending homeless people with either my immediate family or my friends. I can add countless invites, from friends and their families, to a warm meal to my thankful list. Although I miss family on holidays, I am so grateful for friends that share theirs with us.

Besides homemade dinner rolls and pecan pie, what I love about Thanksgiving is filling our hearts with gratitude and sharing it with others. Joining tables and sharing meals should always be this way, full hearts and full bellies.

What currently makes my life so full this Thanksgiving:

'Nice to meet you' hand shakes from Wells.
Bug repellant to keep the mosquitos away
How incredibly cuddly Wells is with both me and Ted.
Ted, period.

The short amount of time it takes to get ready this holiday. Sandals, shorts, tank. Check.
Sand in all the right places in the fall and coming into the winter season.
Adventure. This crazy yet so cool life we have and how we can to explore new places.
Food. I love food.

A good night of sleep.
Date nights.
Potted plants
Stain remover.

The postal service that delivers me all my online purchases.
Friends that send cards in the mail just because.
New friends. Sweet friends. Old friends. Visiting friends.
Cheesy grins from Wells and his constant 'Hellos'.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Ready For Checkout

Without the throw of a scarf around my neck, the holiday season really snuck up on me. We still spend our days covered in sand and splashing in water. It must still be summer, no? Regardless of slipping our bathing suits on and off, it is now Thanksgiving week. It is time to start thinking about decorating for Christmas, sending Christmas cards (with may or may not happen), packing for our trip to Kentucky, and prepping for my little brothers wedding. I really have felt six months away from December. I'm placing orders everywhere getting our outfits ready for the wedding and some fun photos with our favorite photographer Amy Rae.

I've been looking around to find some ideas for Christmas. New books, cozy sweaters, and fun toys.

I always enjoy flipping through my Unison catalog when it comes in the mail. From bedding to the cutest finds for littles. I would love any or all of the books above from Unison. I know Wells would enjoy 'The Game Of Mix and Match', a flip book. I'm gearing up for our holiday travels and thinking of what new books to order in time for our flights.

In addition to thinking about how to occupy Wells during our flights, I am also figuring out how I am going to keep in warm. Aren't these Caramel Baby & Child outfits adorable! The little girl outfit is so cute. 

Lastly, I'm sending of wishlists to family members on what toys Wells would enjoy for christmas. Ted and I plan to pick up some toys when we are mainland to bring back for Wells. We are currently running on mostly *baby* toys. I love scrolling AHAlife for there fun selection.

More Alive Than Ever

Twenty eight. 

It does not sound old to me anymore. 

I feel confident and adventurous. I have a growing appreciation for simple things in life. I have spent these years in my twenties growing, learning, loving, and settling into the woman that I am today. Years that hold some of the best memories of my life. I've learned so much about holding on and letting go. I better understood the true beauty of embracing and releasing. Most importantly, I lived well by embracing grace, a heavenly language. 

I embraced a dance between vulnerability and intentional solitude.

Watering my heart, I started to feel it blossom with newness and adventure. Less timid and more alive. As I reflect, I am full of gratitude for the struggles and the triumphs. The lost and the found. Now I find myself in a watering hole where I can play wildly and rest peacefully. The life I share with my beloved husband and my joyful son is better than I could have dreamed.

May I finish out my twenties with the same grace and many more adventures! 

Cheers to spending the next two years in paradise! 

Virgin Gorda, BVI

For a continuation of our birthday weekend, we hopped onto a boat and headed to Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands. We stamped Wells' passport for the very first time that we will remember forever. The entire trip was a dream. The Baths were beyond beautiful. It was such a fun family trip. Ted used the ergo and carried Wells on his back most of the day. We thought about bringing a hiking pack/seat carrier for him, but decided it was too bulky. I'm glad we decided upon just using the ergo. In the pictures below Wells looks very concerned, but he enjoyed himself the whole trip through. It was perfect and worked great when trying to fit between the bolders. The water was breathtaking and the breeze paired with the sun perfectly. We drank the best pina coladas to date. After some climbing and exploring, we let Wells play in the shallow water and run around in the rocks. He absolutely loved it. A fantastic way to end our birthday extended weekend.

I am already scheming my next visit and hope to include Saba Rock.

I will always remember.

November 15 will  forever be marked with the memory of a positive pregnancy test. A little miracle. The news of growing our baby, simply the best birthday present ever! I can't believe it has been two years since we sat in our hotel room across the street from Rockefeller Center and found out our lives would change forever. Our hearts would grow with my waistline! I also can't believe I now have a fifteen month old. Will I always live in disbelief that what started as a little heartbeat, turned into a almost ten pound baby in my belly, delivered into the world and grew into now a little boy. Now he is Mr. Independent and wants to "me do it".

Our maternity pictures were taken by Amy Rae Photography in Philadelphia.

A Weekend From Toddler Hell

Balancing Wells on my hip, I ordered a pumpkin spice latte with steamed coconut milk at a new local cafe. I also added a cup of coconut milk to our order for Wells. I knew I needed to distract him from wanting to running around the marina dock outside the shop. He was already getting wiggly in my arms, because I blasted through ten minutes of chatting with a friend before stepping up to the counter. Wells loves coconut milk and I knew it could help distract him from wanting to escape. This new cafe, Scoops and Brew, serves brewed coffee, lattes, espresso, gelato, and ice cream. It is located in the Crown Bay marina and is open air with no doors. I was hoping to keep Wells on my hip while I ordered and paid, at the very least.

I think somewhere in my brain I had a magical thought of bringing our drinks outside. Sipping together, as we pointed out at boats that are coming, going, or already docked.

Wells was loving drinking out of a big boy cup while I stepped aside to wait to be able to pay. I the cup down for a split second to reach deep into my pocket for the twenty I had stuffed. This is when Wells started slapping me in the face repeatedly.

'Wells, hold on'.

'Wells, do not hit me.'

'Okay, okay! Here is your milk.' 

I try to keep my composer, but I am sweating and freaking out a little bit. Who is this kid on my hip!? And, please please please... settle down. I go to give him another sip and he hits the cup and milk splashes all over my freshly washed hair and down my shirt. OMG! I'm struggling to pay, balancing this crazed kid, sheepishly grabbing my hot latte, and pray he doesn't do anything else absurd.

I made it to the car and strapped him into his car seat and sat in the drivers seat shocked by his tantrum. If I knew this was just the tip of the weekend that was awaiting me, I probably would have just started to cry right there. Little did I know, we had two other major meltdowns that left me feeling hopeless and totally wrecked my faith in my mothering ability.

On Sunday, I felt like a horrible mom and conversationalist as we were sitting with new friends at brunch. I was just trying to keep Wells from flipping out shoving food in his mouth as much as I possibly could. Laying in bed Sunday night, I replayed conversations and each time I had to leave it to tend to Wells. Some sentences were picked up right were we left off and others fell in order to manage Wells. I could remember exactly what each interrupted story was about.

I was still in shock and a little perturbed on Monday night.

Break.

I wrote everything above yesterday. I still felt like 'what are we doing' right or wrong or 'is this our new normal'.

As I was cooking dinner last night our gas ran out and burners went off. Our dinner was par-cooked making it inedible. So, we went out to eat last night. I was grabbing all that I could - a book, snacks, and should I just leave my sanity at the house instead of losing it when Wells is a monster at dinner.

Then, he was the most peaceful child. He went right into the high chair with no wiggles. He calmly sat there. He read. He drank sips of water. He let us talk. He let us eat. He ate. He was still for one and a half hours.

I needed that.

We have not lost all hope.

Now if I can survive the rest of his toddler years with my meals in tact.

Lessons learned.

When tot is ready for a nap is not a good time to spring for a coffee date, duh!

If my tot has not had time to run or do an activity to get some of his energy and wiggles out, do not tempt to dine in peace.

The Best Kind of People

A little bit of pretty inspiration to get into my birthday week mood. That calm color of minty green. Floral Nikes, yes ma'am. That stunning hair wrap braid, I doubt I could replicate. That sweet quote of true friendships that blossom from genuine acceptance, encouragement, and belief. A simple cake with just enough green. A tablescape perfect for celebrating and that dotted dress that I'd love to wear but probably would make me look like a balloon.

It is the time of year when Ted and I share a day to celebrate our lives and remember how old we are. I'm turning 28 and Ted is turning 27 on saturday! Our celebrating plans have been put on hold. Ted found out yesterday he will have to work through the weekend. Of all weekends, this one... really.

I actually contemplated flying up to NYC for a little city therapy and quick visit to Ellen & Lauren. When I couldn't find a direct flight there and BACK, I decided I didn't want to weather a 11+ hour travel day with Wells solo. So, raincheck! The idea was very helpful in being hopeful for a birthday celebration turnaround. Really, it is not that bad. I do have a wee bit of island fever, but soon enough will make it mainland. I do miss the city and can't wait to eventually make a girls weekend trip to NYC.

In the end, I'll take a beach day and maybe a hop to another island.

Thankfully, I am finally getting my hairs colored and my split ends chopped this week. It has been since last April and you can definitely tell. I need some major help. My roots are almost as bad as when I had a newborn and my split ends far worse than anything I've ever had. I'm not going to impulse cut into a bob or chop bangs, I don't think. 

Quote from above - 'The best kind of people are the ones that come into your life, and make you see the sun where you once saw clouds. The people that believe in you so much, you start to believe in you too. The people that love you, simply for being you. The once in a lifetime people.'

40 sleeps

Kentucky from Tamara Ohman on Vimeo.

Last year, we were in Kentucky visiting my brother Paul and his girlfriend. A few months after our visit, she became his fiance and in 40 days she will become his wife. We are stoked about the wedding and celebrating all weekend and beyond. We really loved our very short visit to Lexington last fall and really anytime we are able to spend time with them. I am also looking forward to spending just over a week there again after the wedding with my parents in Lexington. It seems crazy it will be cold when here is still the same 80-ish degrees daily. I hope to play in snow with Wells. Go shopping. Eat donuts and all the other delicious food that Lexington has to offer.

Today I played this video for Wells and kept prompting him to say 'Paul' which I think he tempted before he started cracking himself up giggling to himself in the video. Although the video is so homemade, I love looking back to this weekend trip. The middle of the night driving with a little three month old and a few clips of when we visited the Woodford Distillery and cozy nights in at Elizabeth's house. There was so much more that we packed into this weekend trip and much of it had to do with food. Lexington has some really great food and brews for cheap - it's a college town! Ted and Paul went to a football game with Paul's roomies while Elizabeth and I shopped for Christmas presents. We visited their church and spent a day with Elizabeth's parents. Lastly, we survived staying with college guys guys - complete bachelor pad with a little one. I didn't actually bathe him all weekend in fear of the tub...Wipes come in handy. Geezem' I miss my brother! Phone calls, text messages, and facetime do not do face to face justice. He is one of the coolest people I know. He is smart (an electrical engineer) extremely generous, can cook your socks off, funny and quick witted, has good physical humor, doesn't take himself too serious, great with babies (and kids), likes nice things but knows how to save, spoils the people he loves, and is the perfect person to call when I need someone to listen.

I am so happy we all decided to meet up in St. Thomas after all the wedding shin-digs for New Years Eve! I will gladly hoard Elizabeth and Paul's attention to my little family as we bring in 2015. Our third consecutive New Years with the two of them... each year in a different location. This is a tradition I hope to keep.

There is always next year.

Each year I think to myself 'next year you better up your game'. I tend to have a ton of ideas, but I'm not as crafty as some. I can craft. I am much better at buying. I believe it's because I think of the time, effort and supply list I need for crafts... seems like a pain most of the time. I'd rather buy it already packaged. Buying costumes isn't fun and my lack of interest in crafting usually leaves us running dry for halloween. And this year, Ted picked up a awfully tacky 'island' outfit from a tourist trap vendor in the open markets in town. Dressing Wells as a tourist with sunset colored shorts and button down silk outfit, camera around his neck (he wouldn't leave it on), rum punch bucket for treats (he ditched this too), blush for sunburn (kept sweating it off), and fanny pack. It was so hideous.

We spent our night at a coffee and ice cream shop that a friend of ours just opened in St. Thomas called Scoops and Brew. They have non dairy options, hallelujah. It was fun to see all the kids dressed up and running wild with a little sugar.

Ted and I looked at each other throughout the night to just laugh. Wells looked so tacky. His 'costume' was so ghetto. We couldn't help BUT laugh. Ek, maybe I should have put more effort into his costume. The only thing I have running is a a post each year of halloween fails. I'm posting the only photo I really captured of Wells by himself (no other kids) which is blurry. Whoops.

Welp, until next year...

15 months

Wells has two go-to places in our house. Each time, the house is still and he is nowhere in sight I look in these spots first. First, I go look upstairs by our front door landing. He still loves climbing stairs and the vacuum isn't scaring him away anymore. Thankfully, he is very safe and is scared to come down all on his own. Usually, he just wants to sit by the front door and ask if dad is home. Then, I go up to give him a hand for the steps back down. Secondly, I look in the bathroom. Specifically, the bathtub. The bathtub is a whole other story, because he goes in there to find his Grandpa's Pine Tar soap and my face wash soap (Cetaphil). He tries to eat both. Yep, he takes little nibbles of SOAP. So, I currently have our bar of soap on lockdown.

He also can be found trying to raid the pantry. Wells is eating off real dish ware, using really silver ware, and loving drinking water from a glass. He does so well with eating, but once he's full he still attempts to pick up the food and drop it on the floor. But, he definitely loves using "real" stuff as opposed to his baby dishes or eating off the tray.

He sings "ashes, ashes" all the time and falls down. Ending with laughs or cries, depending on if he decided to fall all the way down smashing his head into the ground.

Each time he puts on his back pack, he giggles. He thinks he is so cool.

I can't believe how big he is... Happy 15 months Little Bean!

Are you reading?

Are you reading Mother Mag? It's one of my favorite online magazines. The site is filled with inspiring mothers and incredible style. Need some inspiration on your next travel or something for you or your littles wardrobe? Mother Mag has ideas for you. I'm especially loving 20 Buffalo Plaid Pieces Perfect For Fall. Wander around the site and I'm sure you'll end up loving it too. Great stories, beautiful spaces, and yummy recipes.