The Séamus Weekly - week 44

Another week is in the books and we're fast approaching our trip to Ireland and England.  While little Séamus isn't walking yet, I have high hopes that he will be before we embark on our trip.  He is quite the little character these day, is loving eating all the foods, getting into all the things, and has become obsessed with the remote control - like he cries when we take it away from him.

Sweet boy hit the 10 month mark this week and I just cannot contain my excitement that his birthday is so near!!  This year has quite literally flown by and I have tried to enjoy each and every moment of it.  He still has 2 teeth, is cruising all around, climbs into the drawer of the oven 😝, and loves the remote.

Sleeps: Séamus is on a roll with his sleeping.  He is napping hard core in his crib and his car seat.  He is getting himself to sleep on his own and it has been a seamless transition.  If we time it just right we don't hear a peep out of him!  Still loving our diffuser blend of Sleepyize and Peace & Calming.  He is quite happy in his footie pajamas but will wear just about anything to sleep.

Eats: all the things. He is an acrobat when it comes to eating, his new favorite is to nurse while standing and I'm laying on the couch...or to be twisting and turning and practically doing handstands, I just don't get it.  He loves his high chair and eating all the things with us: rice, beans, peas, pizza, chicken, sausage, fish, puffs, cereal, all. the. things.

Goes: we've been all over: gymnastics for both girls, swimming lessons for Finnley, to our favorite Island and the beach, and then just all the usual places.  He has proven to be another babe that just goes along with whatever we have planned and while we all prefer to be at home, because crawling, he loves to explore and observe everything.

Does: like I've mentioned above cruising everywhere, standing up on his own, he has attempted a step here and there but nothing has come of it.  He loves his little push walker (similar) and has gotten quite adept at it.  He waves, blows raspberries, and makes all the noises...though no decipherable words yet. Still has just two teeth but I swear his upper gums are pretty swollen and there might be two teeth cutting through in the near future.

Mama: seriously the best! Even though this year is flying by I am loving every single minute of it! My business is booming, the kids get along (for the most part) and Thomas and I are in an amazing place together.  We're dreaming, conversing, and pushing for our goals.  I am in the process of selling Ragtime which is bittersweet.  I knew when I got her (as a dumb college student) that I might have to sell her one day...well we are here at that one day.  I've been out working with her a lot, way more than I have the last 8 years, and she is doing so so well.  I am going to miss her fiercely but know that she is going to go off and live her best life!

Sisters: they love him!! They love him so very much.  Finnley is still in the stage of correcting Séamus whenever he does something that isn't authorized 😉 whether we request it of her or not...subsequently she has earned herself several "time outs" for being disobedient and in the words of Ellie "doing whatever she wants" 😂😂.  Ellie loves her brother so much, though she isn't a fan of not getting to play with her toys and small parts because he sticks them in his mouth.  She has also found that playing with legos and the magnatiles are challenging since he is in the destroying stage.

Previous Weeks

Séamus week 1, week 2, week 3, week 4, week 5, week 6, week 7, week 8, week 9, week 10, week 11, week 12, 13 weeks, week 14, week 15, week 16, week 17, week 18, week 19, 20 weeks, week 21, week 22, week 23, week 24, week 25, week 26, week 27, week 28, week 29, week 30, week 31, week 32, week 33, week 34, week 35, week 36, week 37, week 38, week 39, week 40, week 41, week 42, week 43

Ellie at 44 weeks

Finnley at 44 weeks

♥ Ashley

The Séamus Weekly - week 43

Sweet boy just keeps getting older and older each week!! I can't believe he is almost 10 months old!! Like what? How did that happen? And why isn't he walking yet?? I know y'all think I'm crazy wanting him to walk but it is just so much fun when they start walking and then you can set them down and be "guaranteed'' that they'll stay standing! He was quite the turkey this week for his weekly photo and just would not lay still! He kept rolling over and sitting up so I just had to take what I could get 😆.

Eats: sweet little Séamus is a snacking fool when it comes to nursing, I guess that is one of the "perks" with breastfeeding on demand is that he can just get a quick little 30 second suckle whenever he wants.  Séamus is also just loving all the foods!  I got him some Yogurt Melts and he is pounding them along with some Puffs and Crunchies.  He also tried some tuna salad and chicken salad and really liked those as well, it's so funny because I totally waited a long time before I introduced meat into the girls diets and Séamus is getting it so much earlier.  He loves Pasta and Potatoes and pretty much anything we give him...he is great at feeding himself though he does get quite a bit in his lap.





Sleeps: oh my word sleep is going SO WELL!  He is putting himself to sleep on his own in his crib and sleeps through until around 4-4:30 when I very much welcome him into the bed because my boobs are so full.  He has been taking quite a few car naps this week but we've been home a little more and he's had the chance to nap in his crib which has been so so great!  We're continuing on the same routine as last week with his diffuser, Seedlings spray, oils on his feet, nursing and song.



Goes: we went over to one of Ellie's friends houses for a play date after school and the girls had a blast playing with each other, dressing up, jumping in the bounce house, and eating snacks.  Séamus was obsessed with the mini trampoline, he bounced on it and fell off about 10 times.  Hopefully I'll be able to figure out how to teach him to get down feet first instead of with his hands... We hung out at our Nanny house and he was fascinated with their night light and the stairs, always with the stairs!  Ellie had a date with my MIL for her birthday and then went over to their house with Thomas for a sleepover so it was just me and the littles for the weekend.  We went to a bazaar, the Farmer's Market, visited with my dad before he leaves for Uganda for almost 12 weeks, and then just hung around the house.  Finnley started up her very first solo swim lessons this week and did AHHHmazing (thank you Valor!!) so Séamus and I enjoyed sitting at the pool watching her.






















Does: Séamus started giving High Fives!! they are so much fun!! He is just crawling everywhere, cruising and pulling up on all the things.  I caught him getting into a standing position all on his own in the middle of his room, so I think we might be getting closer to walking!!  Séamus is also putting all of the things into his mouth, I've found paper, tape, stickers, and small toys, not to mention our shoes 😩 the corners of the rugs, and lots of other gross things.  The girls were coloring one morning and must have dropped a green crayon on the floor because his face was covered in greed drool and all marked up 😂, so we're going to have to keep a closer eye out.  Oh and also, he LOVES the vacuum!  When I plug it in and turn it on he comes crawling as fast as he can to get in on the action! He must remember it from when I vacuumed 3 times a day while pregnant!

Mama: I have been focusing so much on my Oils Business.  It has been so incredibly rewarding to bring wellness into the homes of over 80 families!!  I am just blown away at how much I love this business and seeing lives changing on the daily!  I have also been getting Ragtime prepared for a hopeful sale.  It has been so good for my soul to get out there and work with her.  I am going to miss her terribly but I know that when she goes (wherever that may be) that she is going to go and live her best life.  I've relaxed quite a bit with my dictating parenting style (three kids will do that to you) and it has been so much fun to watch them learn and grow and figure stuff out!! We still enforce a lot of things over here but letting them make a mess is what they need to do and I am finally letting them do it and we are all benefiting from it.

Sisters: Ellie turned 6 this week!! We celebrated with a visit to her classroom to bring doughnuts and then out to the Spaghetti Factory for dinner!  She had the best day ever and I just love to see her enthusiasm.  Finnley is still pushing buttons and testing her boundaries with how rough she can be with Séamus and the constant redirection/discipline gets pretty tiring.  Her saving grace is how helpful she is and her sweetness.  Both of the girls are such sweet, kind souls and every day we are so grateful to have them be ours! So much has changed over the past 6 years but I know this is how our life is supposed to be.

Previous Weeks:

Séamus week 1, week 2, week 3, week 4, week 5, week 6, week 7, week 8, week 9, week 10, week 11, week 12, 13 weeks, week 14, week 15, week 16, week 17, week 18, week 19, 20 weeks, week 21, week 22, week 23, week 24, week 25, week 26, week 27, week 28, week 29, week 30, week 31, week 32, week 33, week 34, week 35, week 36, week 37, week 38, week 39, week 40, week 41, week 42

Finnley at 43 weeks

Ellie at 43 weeks

♥ Ashley

♥ Ashley

Happy Birthday Ellie!!

Ellie is SIX!!

I remember so much about her so vividly:

+ the drive over to Spokane the day before she was born

+ the stop at McDonald's on the way to the hospital (that took 45 minutes to get our food)

+ waiting in our hospital room for them to bring her to us

+ hearing her cries as they brought her down the hallway to our room and the tears that flooded when they placed her in my arms...I was finally a Mama!!!

As her birthday was approaching this year, she had a much better grasp on time and dates.  Despite my joking to just skip Tuesday altogether so she would stay 5, she would have nothing to do with it and was adamant that she was turning 6 no matter what!  She wanted us to crawl into her bed in the morning to wake her up and be sure to sing the birthday song! The sweetest ever!  Her joy, excitement, and enthusiasm for her birthday was so heartwarming and fun to experience.  This has been the best year yet and I have a feeling things are just going to keep getting better and better!

We stopped at the doughnut shop for her classmates on the way to school. She was sure to tell everyone in the shop "It's my birthday today, I'm six you know!"

 I dropped her off with a big kiss and told her I would see her soon!

Finnley had swim lessons, then we went back home for a little bit before it was time to go back to Ellie's school for her classroom party.

We passed out doughnuts, her class sang to her, there was an assembly she wanted us to attend, and then we joined her for recess! We hung out in her classroom a little bit longer and then when she was dismissed to her reading group we went out into the car to watch a movie (we only had 30 minutes until school was out) before she got into the car.

Her dinner request was the Spaghetti Factory and all she really wanted was the sourdough bread and ice cream!  She made sure to let our hostess and waiter know that it was her birthday and was so worried that she was going to miss her Birthday Song while she was in the restroom.

We stopped at Target on the way home so that she could pick out an LOL doll because she's been wanting one for 100 years! and could not wait to get home to open it!

When we got home it was cake and she got to open her LOL doll.  We finished off the night with some Masha and Bear.

It was so much fun! I can't believe she is already 6 and only 6 at the same time, it feels like she has always been here with us.

Sweet Ellie Faith, I love being your Mama and celebrating you is one of my favorite things to do!

♥ Ashley

Friday Favorites - an Amazon Edition

Happiest of Friday's my dear friends!! Gosh it's been a while since I've posted one of these...life man! It's crazy.

We ALL love ourselves some Amazon, am I right?  I love it when bloggers post about what they're loving from our favorite shopping website and I always shop it through Rakuten (formerly known as Ebates) just in case I can get myself some extra cash back!!

I've briefly mentioned on here that lately I am striving towards a more minimalist and sustainable lifestyle and have been learning so much about it through podcasts (there are so many to choose from so you can't go wrong!) which has been encouraging me to actually move forward with it.  If you've been a long time follower you might remember that we do a vegetable garden every year and have a fruit "orchard" of sorts that we grow organically and without chemical fertilizers, so already sustainable ... sort of😉.

ONE

I've been wanting to get rid of the plastic sippy cups for a while but just wasn't sure what to do.  I asked the Facebook and got so many suggestions which were great.  Then I went to the Amazon and found some great options!! I really wanted some stainless steel cups for the kids with plastic free lids and this set of four with adorable silicone lids that look like Elephants are perfect!  The girls love them and it only took a couple tries to figure out how to put the lid on.  Since stainless steel can get pretty cold I love that they came with the color coordinated silicone sleeves.  I also wanted to introduce some straws to Séamus so these Boon lids are great, though I do think the straw is plastic they can work on any cup so they'll be easy to throw in a reusable bag for when we're out and about.  I am still on the search for some non plastic plates and bowls for the kids, I'm thinking stainless steel again but am totally up for suggestions!

TWO

Another item we've been loving in our kitchen for cleaning up with our Thieves Household Cleaner are these Bamboo dish cloths.  They're super absorbent go in the washing machine and are made of sustainable Bamboo!

THREE

We're headed on a 3+ week road trip over Ireland and England this Summer!! I am so freaking excited for it!! Wahoo!  Since we have 3 kids in car seats and have to buy plane tickets for both Ellie and Finnley we are going to be bringing our car seats with us.  I've been looking all over trying to find a way to easily transport them through the airport (and doesn't take up much room) since we are only bringing an umbrella stroller and so I found these straps to attach them to our luggage!!  They are en route to us as I speak so I have no idea how well they will actually work but they have great reviews so I'm hoping they will work.  Speaking of our luggage - we are planning on only bringing 2 carry on bags for all 5 of us!!! Eek wish us luck!

FOUR



I got some similar baskets to this on Zulilly that were so cute because they were pink and had polka dots but they drove me crazy because the paint kept chipping off of them.  I loved these baskets to help corral all the kids toys in their bedrooms and our living room but the chipping paint every where caused my vacuum to go into overdrive 😜 so I wanted to fix it.  I love this basket and it suits all our needs (plus it doesn't shed or leave any paint chips behind).  It's the best addition to our living room and now that I've donated the others I can't wait to get a few more of these for the kids room and the Playhouse!

FIVE

I hosted a Sleep Class on Facebook this week and shared some great DIY's, roller and diffuser recipes as well as our bedtime routines for the kids!  This sleep roller is the bomb diggity (and I love the roller bottle too)  and if you're already on my team and sign up for Essential Rewards by May 18th I will send one to you!  If you're not already a Young Living member and you want to join my team I will send you a bottle of Cedarwood when you enroll by May 18th (sign up for Essential Rewards at the same time and I will also send you a sleep roller)!! I'm on the BEST TEAM EVER and you will get to be too when you enroll with me!  We have some awesome online communities full of all the Oily Resources you could ever imagine (and they are FREE for you!!!).

SIX

The girls shared room is still a work in progress, I swear I go through it every other week to eliminate more toys and they seem to multiply 😆.  Finnley loves herself some stuffed animals (as does Ellie) and their beds are just covered with them!  Ellie had taken to decorating her bed with stickers...which at first I wasn't too thrilled about but then I remembered how easy it is to remove them with some Lemon Essential Oil.  Both girls are also really into painting and I love adding their artwork up on their walls.  It is so special and meaningful to them that it gets to be displayed and I love seeing theirs skills progress!  I was so nervous about how their transition to sharing a room was going to go and it has gone so smoothly, I will credit their love for each other but also diffusing in their room has been so so beneficial for our bedtime routine and keeping those girls put all night long!

SEVEN

Finnley had school pictures this month and I cannot get over how great she did!! She was so brave and I love having this snapshot of her! My sweet girl is getting so big and I love seeing who she is becoming.  She started Pre-school a couple months ago and has blossomed so much.  It's funny how much more academic she is than Ellie, though she is super nervous in social situations (with or without me).  I make sure to oil her up every day with our magical Unicorn Roller.  It's a blend of essential oils that are so good for emotional support: Valor, Frankincense, Stress Away, Bergamot, and White Angelica.  The difference in her demeanor and personality when she gets her oils v not is just incredible.  I am so so glad to have this simple, easy, and natural tool available to give her all the support and courage to let her true self shine!




EIGHT

Séamus is just so much fun!  He is so busy and gets into all of the things and is rarely ever still, which is a bit much but also so so perfect.  We still have about 10 weeks to go before he turns ONE and I have absolutely adored documenting his first year here on the blog.  I love sharing each of his milestones and having a place to reference back for all things Séamus!  He has fit so well into our family and experiencing the first year of life all over again has been so much fun.  I have been doing my best to soak it all in because I know he is our last and babies just don't keep.  He is standing and so close to walking, I cannot wait for it to happen!! He is such a joy and the happiest baby ever.  He has his own roller that I am sure has attributed to his splendid personality: Gentle Baby, Frankincense, and Lavender.  He has been getting this roller on his feet every single day since he was a week old.



NINE

My dear sweet Ellie is going to turn SIX next week and I can hardly believe it. She has been the best five year old I've ever known and I can't wait to see what six will bring.  She is hilarious and feisty, kind and sensitive.  I keep telling her we're going to skip Tuesday so that she will stay five and she is adamant that we are NOT going to do that.  She wants her birthday and she wants it now.  I cannot wait to celebrate her and bring in treats for her class.  She wants to be so many things when she grows up it's hard to keep up! She wants to be a horseback rider, a roller skating instructor, an oil slinger like her mama, a doctor, and an animator for Disney!  Girlfriend has some high dreams and I want to support her in all the ways!  I am so incredibly happy that I got chosen to be her Mama and am blessed every single day by her!!

TEN

Finally the girls have been absolutely obsessed with The Duck Song and I would be remiss to not share it with you all! It's hilarious, catchy, and has so many lessons to go with it! So enjoy!


♥ Ashley

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