according to – kim

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52 project – a portrait of logan, once a week, every week, in 2013

52 project – a portrait of logan, once a week, every week, in 2013 – See more at: http://berlsandco.com/category/52-project#sthash.M1GskyW3.dpuf

as i previously mentioned, without a doubt, i can count on two hands the number of times my guy and i have ventured out completely alone since baby. who is really now a toddler. sad i know. i blame it on several things. first, there’s the guilt associated with leaving logan behind after a week already spent away at work. second, is our own insecurities about hiring an actual babysitter because we often feel like deadbeat parents constantly asking grandparents for help, despite their persistence that they enjoy every chance they get and wouldn’t mind if we packed up and skipped town (for like ever). and i especially cringe when calling my mom, as she’s already spent the majority of her week caring for lo daily during our nine to five. lastly, when the opportunity does arise, it’s super hard to pass on catching up with friends and/or tackling some project that’s way easier to accomplish on our own. and then there’s always the dream of spending what time you’ve got, completely alone and quiet. man, this parenting act requires a lot of juggling!

recently we’ve been running on auto pilot. completely focused on making our threesome flow and completely neglecting our party of two. not good. before things got away from us, we enlisted said grandparents and mandated a formal date, alone. and let me tell you, it was exactly what the doctor ordered! while the undivided attention made us miss our endless days together filled with adult conversation and little to no responsibility, it made us realize just how important it is that we play for the same team and stay connected. and we’ve had a ton of fun. after all, he is my best guy, the ying to my yang. so here’s to setting the best example for logan, ensuring that she views us not only as parents but as one another’s best friend.

as silly as it sounds, we’re committed to this dating game, bi-weekly. and with two already under our belt, i’ve already realized just how much i’ve missed my guy and how a simple night out brings back yet another long lost element of our previous life. at this rate there’s hope that this new version of myself will someday resemble the girl i once knew!

disclaimer: obviously these pictures have nothing to do with the content of this post, as there is no photographic evidence of said date(s). let’s be realistic, that’d be way out of character.

currently – black

2013.10.07 - October

currently savoring: the last bits of summer october is holding onto with its heat + humidity. while crisp air owns my heart, i’m more than fine with falling asleep to crickets and wide open windows.

currently exploring: the burbs for a charming new neighborhood to call home. while heather road has treated us well, her walls are beginning to close in around our growing family and her trees have us screaming for some much needed vitamin d. community is what’s most important this time around. does nancy meyers design a neighborhood? cause i’m seeing one in my dreams!

currently scheming: the design of logan’s new play space. what currently resides as our home office and landing pad for overnight guests is soon to become a toddler fantasy factory. with christmas on the horizon, i envision a whole gaggle of new toys with no place to call home. the thought of a creative space that inspires imaginary play excites me!

currently checking off: activities on our fall fun list. it makes decision making easy on the weekends and ensures some adventure in our lives. so far we’ve ‘picked a pumpkin’ and scoped out the ‘philly flea’ with plans of venturing to the ‘petting zoo’ come friday.

currently dating: paulie p! eighteen months later and we can count the number of times we’ve adventured out completely alone on two hands. more on this commitment later.

off topic – 20 things

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  1. i’m honest and tell it like it is.
  2. i avoid talking on the phone at all costs. it’s a sick phobia. i’ll text you an entire novel if i have to.
  3. i’m loyal to the jetta. i’m on my third since turning sixteen.
  4. i was cross-eyed as a small kid. they took my eyes out, did some dr stuff, and put them back.
  5. i’m a meat and potatoes kind of girl. i could live off of fries alone.
  6. i long to live in the middle of a busy, crowded city. and it’s so not happening anytime soon.
  7. i design interiors for a living yet can’t commit to a single decision when it comes to my own home.
  8. i’m a steel trap and only open up to those i’m close with.
  9. i love style, yet always stick to jeans and a t-shirt.
  10. london stole my heart ten years ago. i’d move back tomorrow if the opportunity arose.
  11. i’m always working on something and have a hard time sitting down to relax.
  12. i’ll write something a thousand times until i like the looks of my handwriting.
  13. i met paulie in the eleventh grade and married him 9 years later.
  14. i’m a perfectionist and work best under pressure.
  15. my nails are always painted. by me.
  16. i obsess over documenting everything. i’m embarrassed by how many different journals i keep.
  17. christmas music makes me happy.
  18. i can’t sleep with a sheet.
  19. they call me baby grace, after my grammy.
  20. i love buying, wrapping and giving gifts. although i’d prefer you open them when i’m not looking.

monthly mini – logan

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52 project – a portrait of logan, once a week, every week, in 2013

looking back at my last monthly update, i realize how much this kid has grown. and if i’ve said it once, i’ll say it again…i love this stage in which lo is oozing personality and independence. we sit back + watch her unwind and still look at one another in shock that she belongs to us. she owns our hearts + fortunately for us, we own hers (for now anyway).

says: the list has become too long to type and just this past week lo’s begun to attempt repeating most everything we say. and when she’s not speaking english, this girl is ‘talking’ up a storm. to whom we’re not so sure of, but her attitude, inflection + hand gestures have us in hysterics. we’re enjoying our little conversations + watching her little mind work so hard. a few cute favorites: no, please, thank you, sorry, dirty, outside, slide, shovel, bubble, and some adorable animal noises on command.

signs: although she can say everything she signs, it’s still adorable to see her put the two together. and she often surprises us with new signs we worked on months ago and have since forgotten about.

chomper count: we’re looking at a full mouth of 16 teeth these days, including the pointy vampire ones that are just poking through.

eats: while lo will eat almost anything, meal time has become interesting in our home. it’s best that i ignore + leave the scene. otherwise i’m left with food in my hair + floors to scrub. i will say that meals are a lot less stressful now that lo can eat just about anything and on-the-go. goldfish have saved our lives on many accounts!

obsessed with: the ‘moon’. day + night this kid asks for the moon and if it’s not full she asks for ‘more’.

loves: the stuffed cheetah we bought her at the philly zoo. he’s been named ‘chee’ and we find him by lo’s side more often than not. – chalk + drawing outside. which obviously i’m all for. you can even skip bedtime in our house if you want to draw. – stacking blocks, sorting laundry, arranging toys. you see a pattern here? a girl after my own heart! – gym + art class where the mascot is a ‘puppy’ and you come home with a puppy stamp to show off all day. – the number ‘two’. – ‘george’, the curious kind. – and cats, cause duh!

guide to – back to school

2013.09.09 Back To School

i’m a sucker for pretty things with an obsessive compulsive disorder for organization. obviously this hits hard come september. unfortunately lisa frank and trapper keeper are no longer in question, so here are a few things that would make my big girl desk happy…

1 graphic, over scaled, black + white: sold >>> 2 a pretty pop of neon to house my mouse >>> 3 something so sleek encourages me to stay hydrated >>> 4 duh! >>> 5 to stay stylish behind the screen >>> 6 to keep me powered up while blog rolling on the train >>> 7 cause you can never have enough sketch books for ideas on the go >>> 8 this could rock all my wears >>> 9 and if i had a million dollars, i’d commute with this suede beauty slung over my shoulder >>> 10 to find those keys more easily >>> 11 a knot so cool you want to touch it >>> 12 my go-to tool of choice, can’t leave home without one

according to – kim

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52 project – a portrait of logan, once a week, every week, in 2013

i’m fortunate enough to play the role of mama full-time come friday, declaring it our day to take on whatever it is we please. realizing this babe isn’t growing any slower, i’ve made a conscious effort to push aside all those insignificant distractions and get down and dirty. and boy has this summer been good to us!  we’ve given it our all the past couple of months, filling our days with adventures both near and far from home. and most importantly, we’ve learned to chill out and march to the beat of our own drum.

to go out with a bang, we spent this past friday exploring the philadelphia zoo and were lucky enough to have paulie join in the fun. it’s been years since i’ve been, and it proved to be the perfect playground for an energized toddler who refused the stroller and repeatedly asked to touch everything that moved. you’re pretty cute kid! so much so that i think we’ll stick to spending our friday’s packed with spontaneity, as there’s always later to catch up with reality. and to all you stay at home mama’s out there, my hat’s off to you, cause lets not kid ourselves, not every friday is as magical as this past one (wink).

currently – black

2013.09.02 September

currently committed: to this here blog and excited to see where it takes us, even if only to stay connected as friends and document this journey as new mamas to always look back on.

currently chalking: a fall ‘to-do’ list, in hopes of easing the stress of daily planning and encourage spontaneity to re-enter our lives. the challenge is on and submissions are due. i’m dreaming of parties of three and dates for two in my very near future.

currently shopping: for 18-24 months! not only is someone showing a lot of leg these days, but with each new season comes the need for a new wardrobe. i’ve nonchalantly been collecting things here and there but it’s time to dig in and stock up from my go-to favorites.

currently smitten: with the obsession my girl has taken to my guy. i may be taking the seat as second fiddle, but nothing compares to the sound of ‘daddy, daddy’ around these parts lately. this kid!

currently anticipating: fall. by far my most favorite season without a doubt, with all its color, chill + spice. bring it on!

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‘ a portrait of logan, once a week, every week, in 2013 ‘

lo and i took a quick trip to the beach last weekend and i must say it was pretty prefect. it’s crazy how fast these little people change. just two months ago we spent an entire week on the water, and while i have no complaints, lo’s attention span was little to non. i approached this visit with no expectations and was shocked at just how much time we got to spend with our feet in the sand. packing only the necessities i could carry, including the 25lb kid, we spent our entire afternoons building castles and chasing waves. it was only the cool evening air that sent us on our way. it’s these simple adventures that remind me just how lucky we are.

52 a portrait a week