Pour yourself a fresh cup of coffee, get cozy, and let’s take a well-deserved break and catch up about January 2022.

My Recent Buys

I feel like I have so much to share with you since I’ve been away for so long…things I’ve read, items I’ve bought, TV shows I’ve watched. So, I have another post next week to catch up some more on what I’m loving lately. But here are a few goodies…

• My mom-day uniform is always leggings and a long-sleeve shirt. I bought a few more of these long-sleeve shirts because they’re comfortable, flattering, and wash like a dream, which is key for me lately with lots of Ellis spit-up. I even got my mom hooked on them and she wears her “Grama uniform” whenever she comes over.
• I’m definitely experiencing a lot of postpartum hair loss. I know it’s inevitable to shed hair, since it doesn’t happen while pregnant, but it is still a bummer seeing the shower drain in the morning. Ugh. I asked for recommendations on Instagram and ended up splurging on these Nutrafol pills, more of this collagen powder, and these postnatal vitamins. I think the shedding has improved, but it’s hard to tell if it’s from the new items I’ve been using or just a natural decrease. We’ll see how it goes…
• We have a few warm-weather trips coming up and I haven’t bought a new swimming suit in many years! I ended up getting this wrap suit in black and this one in blue/green. I even got this cute suit for Rory and I can’t wait to see her wear it. Next up…shorts! Where are your fave places to buy shorts these days? I’ve donned maternity shorts the last two summers, so I’m out of the loop!
• I haven’t purchased much lately when it comes to our home, besides this gold picture frame, this winter candle, and these good-looking trivets for the kitchen. (I know…exciting stuff, right?)

Finn’s Favorites

As many of you know, Finn does most of the purchasing for the kids. Here are some of the items he recently picked up for Rory and Ellis and he can tell you about them…..

• Rory started daycare in December and that came with a few new items for “school.” I got her this backpack, this super soft blanket for nap time, and more of our favorite cup. Then Casey got to work using her label maker and this clothing stamp to label all of the things.
• Ellis will soon start solids, so we transitioned Rory to this booster seat so he can use her old high chair. She is loving her new big girl seat.
• The cold winter weather meant I needed to get new outdoor gear for the kids. Luckily, Ellis is just able to wear Rory’s old bear suits. For Rory, I got these snow pants, these snow boots, and this winter coat. She is warm and toasty in all of her gear.

The Click List

• A light-filled family-friendly home.
• Did you see Kim & Scott’s genius solution for this open concept first-floor? Genius.
• Swooning over this bathroom. That curved backsplash makes my heart flutter.
• This appliance garage is genius. I am saving this idea for a future kitchen.

Playbook Re-Design

I’m very excited to announce that I’ll be redesigning the site this year! It has been a number of years since the website has gotten an upgrade and I’m thrilled to make this space the best it can be. With that being said, I would love it if you could answer a few quick questions for me so I can incorporate your feedback into the new design. I want The DIY Playbook to be easy to use and easy to navigate. Your ideas are so helpful as I re-think the bones of my little corner of the web.

Finn Family Updates – January 2022

This month felt good…until last week (more about that in a minute). We were able to get into a nice routine with Rory going to daycare, three days a week, and me working those days. Ellis got lots of one-on-one time with his Grama, which they both loved!

A few of you have asked about the daycare transition and I have to say we are finally at the point where she feels comfortable! I’ve read that it takes seven full days for toddlers to get used to the big transition and since Rory goes part-time, that took over two weeks.

Then, winter break happened, so she was off for another week and a half. We’re finally at the point where she is excited about school and there are no tears at drop-off (the biggest win!). While I miss my sweet girl, we know this is the absolute best thing for her and we love that she is socializing and learning how to listen to a teacher. Plus, she talks about her school friends all.day.long. It’s adorable!

We got the best news ever that Ellis’ hips are looking good and we were able to ditch his harness last week. I’m actually planning a big blog post all about the topic this Thursday, so expect more details then. For now, we’re just so thrilled that our happy boy can kick and play without wearing that contraption.

I thought I would be writing about a ski trip to Beaver Creek, Colorado but last weekend’s trip got canceled due to COVID. I was so looking forward to skiing and it was going to be a trip away from the kids with my siblings (a big trip for this Mama!). However, Rory’s daycare was shut down all last week and a few of my family members were also infected with the virus. That meant that we had zero childcare with two working parents. Ugh.

It was so tough and Finn and I did our best to take turns working and taking care of the kids. Luckily we stayed healthy and everyone who had COVID in my family is on the mend. I’m hoping for a bit more normalcy in the coming months, but you never know what a week might bring! Sending love and solidarity to all of the parents out there trying their best to navigate this crazy world right now.

Casey