One major change should be immediately obvious . . . hair!  She’s finally sporting a little more on top.  Still not enough to overcome being called a boy by strangers each and every time we go out, but we’re getting there.

And just like my last couple monthly updates, here’s a rundown of what our Mini Bunches was up to during her 10th month:

The month started out with Mini B’s first trip to Springdale Farm (which you may remember from our goat hoax).  Of course, we may have to reconsider that whole gettin-a-goat thing . . .

Mini B is obsessed with tags.  And what’s amazing is that she knows the fake tags (like those on Taggies toys) from the real tags with words on them.  Not sure what it is about tags, but maybe it’s genetic?  I may or may not have had a similar obsession as a wee one.

Her other big obsession?  Our iPhones.  She has a lot of people to talk to ya’ know.

Mini B celebrated her first St. Patrick’s Day.  Hollah!

And she also continued practicing for her American Idol audition.

She took a break from exercising her pipes in order to take her first trip to the local children’s museum (Explore & More in East Aurora).

Oh, did I mention that she learned to read?  Sunday mornings are her favorite . . .

Mini B celebrated her first Easter.

It was short lived.

She also found her voice . . . this picture needs her added soundtrack of squeals and shrieks.

And then of course Mini B continued to rack up her frequent flyer miles with a trip to Florida where she got some qt with Mr. Squishy . . .

And they got along well except for one ill-fated fight over a water bottle.  Room full of toys and these two want the water bottle . . .

Not only did Mini B get quality time with Mr. S, but she also got to see some friends from NY who were also enjoying a little fun in the sun.  Yep, Mr. & Mrs. Rockstar were rockin’ out with their own little fam . . .

And guess who else made an appearance . . . chickie chickie yeah!

Living the Florida life.  Not too shabby, eh?

“The ocean is big.”  Those were his exact words.

We had a great time with Mr. S, Uncle J, and Aunt Doodles–thanks guys!

I seriously can’t get enough of these two.

Once we wrapped things up on Amelia Island, it was time to head to New Smyrna Beach to visit Mini B’s other little cousin . . . but first, a stop at MO’s place (more on that next week):

After a quick visit, it was time to move on.  Of course, with two babies in the car, we pretty much took the tortoise route.  When one baby slept, the other one cried.  Awesome.  Apparently we forgot to tell the kiddos that we were on vacation.  But either way, we made it and look who was ready for the paparazzi . . .

She showed the new kids on the block how beach time is done.

The first time touching the Atlantic Ocean for both of them . . .

Mini B was lucky enough to celebrate her 10 month birthday with her two littlest cousins.  Such fun!

Before we returned home, we took one last early morning walk on the beach.  Sigh.  Sleepy little beach town–how we love you!

So there you have it.  Her 10th month.  St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, Florida, cousins, sun, sand, and surf.  Good times.

It’s getting harder and harder to get a good shot of her on the chaise since the kid literally moves non-stop.  Crazy kid.

But let’s look back at what Mini B was up to in her ninth month of life, shall we?  She tried on her first pair of shoes, which only lasted for about 5 minutes and which caused some confusion but no real concern.

As long as they didn’t impede her crawling, then she didn’t really care.

During her ninth month, she also celebrated her first Valentine’s Day with a rose from her dad (I think he was channeling Sean from the Bachelor with that gift).

She was pretty fascinated with it.  For about 8.3 seconds.  Then she broke it and moved on.  Foreshadowing much?

But she’s still giving kisses, which still might just be the best things EVER.

She also continued honing her Baby Led Weaning eating skills.  Bagels with cream cheese were one of her favorites . . .

She helped her Mom and Dad celebrate their wedding anniversary.

And then she continued her traveling ways with a trip out West.  That’s right, we braved ~6 hours on 2 planes . . .

and ended up here:

Everyone know where we went?  How about this clue:

That’s right–SEATTLE!!  We got to spend a week out in the Pacific Northwest, and Mini B fit right in . . .

The biggest challenge was keeping her on some type of schedule and on East Coast time.  But she managed pretty well.

She had a good time tackling everything in site in our hotel room.

And somehow felt she was qualified to change herself.  Hmm.

And she got to meet some new people along the way.  First–her new bestie, E:

Who gave her a tour of Seattle’s fishing locks . . .

. . . and Microsoft’s campus (they have FREE Starbucks there!  How happy was I to score a free Starbucks hot chocolate?!?!):

Being on the left coast also meant that Mini B finally got to meet her Auntie E and Uncle J for the first time!  She practically melted in Auntie E’s arms and couldn’t stop giving her kisses.  It was so so sweet.

Sadly, Uncle J didn’t get quite such a warm reception . . .

But she came around a little bit (well, at least for enough time to snap a quick pic) . . .

Not only did we get in some good friend and family time, but we also hit the sites.  The Public Market.

In case you were wondering, they have some really good donut holes there.  Just sayin’.

We also took Mini B on the Monorail to check out some of the most notable Seattle tourist traps attractions.

The Seattle Center was pretty fantastic.  If only the weather could’ve been more cooperative, but cold, misty rain is pretty much par for the course out there.

Once we checked the sites off our list, it was time for some shopping.  Oh Nordstrom–how I’ve missed you.

After a week away, we were anxious to get home.  Mini B did pretty fantastically on the plane rides.  She only lost her cool during the last half hour of our last flight, so count us as thankful.  But once we landed, she was all smiles to be back in Buffalo.

While in Seattle, Mini B became a master at pulling herself up to the standing position.  She wanted to stand constantly.  Unfortunately, the only pictures I have of that are when she was naked.  And since I’m keeping this blog G-rated, those pics will remain for our eyes only.

As if traveling wasn’t torture enough, we decided to do a Daddy-Daughter dress alike photo shoot the day after we got home.  Sometimes we just get stir crazy and do nutty things.  Deal.

Somebody wasn’t exactly thrilled with the idea.

Luckily she warmed up.

So there you have it.  I can’t believe how different she looks only a few months ago.  Back then she still had her high-and-tight hairdo, only a few teeth, and lots and lots of chub.  Now, sigh.  So different.  Where does the time go?!  Anyways, Happy Belated 9th Birthday Mini B!!!  We love you.

Well, what I didn’t tell you then was that not only did I refinish the outside of the desk, but I also added a little special touch to the inside . . .

I added personalized drawer liners using some spray adhesive and Mod Podge.  Fun, eh?  It only took me maybe a couple hours of Mini B’s naptime, and it was nice to finally use the maps I had been hanging onto from our honeymoon in Spain.  How did I do it?  Easily.

I first made some templates with plain copy paper of the exact drawer dimensions.  Then I laid those out on the maps (which I lightly, and I do mean LIGHTLY, ironed to get out the wrinkles), and used a ruler and exacto knife to cut the maps down to size . . .

I tried to make sure the maps were aligned so as to include areas Mr. Bunches and I visited in our travels.  Once they were all cut, I then just used some spray adhesive (sprayed onto the backs of the maps–NOT sprayed directly on the drawers) and smoothed the maps in place on the bottom of each drawer.  I used a bone folder to make sure there weren’t any wrinkles and that everything was all smoothness.

Because the maps were made of such thin paper, there were spots, particularly in the water sections of the maps, where you could kind of see the glue.  But it was minimal.  I let the glue dry for a few hours (with heavy books laying on top) just to make sure it was all good and set.  Then I used a foam brush to apply a light coat of Matte Mod Podge on the tops of the maps (just so they would be extra durable).  As I had been warned by YHL commenters on this post, I was prepared for the inevitable bubbling that the Mod Podge would (and did) cause:

What had been smooth was now a wrinkly mess.  But no fear, I knew that once the Mod Podge dried, all would be smooth in my drawers again (still keeping it G-rated folks) . . .

And there you have it.  Just a few hours of drying time (overnight actually), and voila!

And since it’s been almost a month since initiating our new entry way solution, I’m happy to report that it’s been a success!  We got our cart in, and it’s been working out great.

Fingers crossed that it continues working out well and wrangling in our mess.  And just because, here’s a shot of Mini Bunches on her recent trip to the beach in Florida (more on that soon I hope) . . .

And then here’s a phone shot from a few weeks ago when we finally hung a mirror.

The problem is that the piece of furniture we had there (an old server) just did nothing for us storage-wise.  And it also wasn’t really my style.  So I had been on the hunt for a solution, but wasn’t exactly sure what would work.  And with a growing Mini Bunches, I’m also not positive that whatever solution we find now will be something lasting for the future.  Which brings me to my point: I didn’t want to spend a lot of money.  Or time.  Especially if it’s something we might outgrow in a few years.  Enter thrift stores–the cheap solution to almost everything.

And so two weekends ago, when Mr. B was away for his annual Idiot Nation trip to Vegas, I hit up my favorite thrift store.  You know, the one where I found this blue beauty (I’m still regretting not scooping her up when I had the chance, but I digress) . . .

Unlike my last visit to this particular Salvation Army, this time around it was slim pickings.  But just when I was about to leave, I spotted this:

Admittedly, not much to look at, but I liked the mid-century lines, the size was right, and it was solidly built of wood (except for the yucky laminate top, but I dealt with that during my last furniture refinishing adventure, so no big deal there).  And the price?  Just right.  Actually, better than just right–just $15 kind of right.  SOLD.

Once I got it home and wrangled it in the house (it’s super heavy so some wrangling it did take), I got to work.  Since I only had nights and nap times to work my magic, I wasn’t planning an extensive refinishing; rather, I was just going to follow the steps John and Sherry took on their TV stand overhaul and hope for the best.  So here’s what it looked like once I got it home and completed the first step: CLEANING.

I scrubbed the piece down with a Magic Eraser just like YHL did.  And I also wiped down the drawers with a vinegar-soaked rag.  My results?  Well, as you can see above and below, the Magic Eraser removed the finish in quite a few places.

Again, since I only paid $15, I wasn’t too upset about that, but if you’re trying to fix a piece that you really care about, then maybe test out the Magic Eraser in an inconspicuous spot first to be safe.  But it did remove a lot of grime, so it wasn’t all bad.  As for the vinegar wipe-down of the drawers, that totally worked–it completely removed all the musty old smell.  So we were 1 for 2 at this point.

Up next?  A little conditioning treatment.  Using these (again, just like YHL):

I first used the Howard Restor-A-Finish to wipe down everything.  It definitely brought some shine back and made the dried-out wood come back to life a bit.

Much better, right?  It didn’t completely fix all the spots where the Magic Eraser had, er, erased, but it helped a lot.  I then used some leftover Minwax wood stain in walnut to rub in the really light spots, and when even that didn’t fix things, I used a Mr. Sketch Scented Marker in Brown.  That, my friends, worked WONDERS.  I just scribbled it on, and then wiped it away.  It was just about perfect at evening out any light patches.  So once all of that was done it wasn’t looking so bad . . .

My last step was to give it a good ol’ rub down with some wax–the Howard Feed-n-Wax.  And just like Mr. Miyagi says: wax on, wax off.  That step took less than 30 minutes, and this thrift store find was complete!

In addition to the desk, we also added a coat rack (from Crate & Barrel here) and a basket for shoes.

I’ve also ordered a steel truck from Steele Canvas to put on the left-hand side of the desk.  That way we can just drop our bags into it and hopefully keep the area looking reasonably pulled together.

So there you have it.  Our second attempt at wrangling some type of order in our entry way.  Here’s hoping it works!

And a little bonus Mini Bunches just for making it all the way through this post . . .

Not only did she make sure that she was well-dressed, but she also helped her dad out.

She did fine tying the knot, but then had a little trouble actually getting it off.

Aahhhh.  Finally.

Then of course she had to make sure it was on right for Dad.

Once Dad was approved, it was time for her fifty laps around the bed.

Which ended in getting mad because her attempts at launching herself off the bed were continually thwarted by Mom.  Damn Mom.

But no problem–as always, the iPhone solves everything.

No toy is nearly as entertaining, or even drool-inducing, as the iPhone.  Go figure.

Of course, Mom isn’t such a huge fan of the whole chewing-on-the-phone thing, so a quick switcheroo was finagled.

Do you think she noticed?

So there it is–Mini B’s Irish parade on Mom & Dad’s bed.  Oh, and just for kicks, here’s an almost-decent shot of Mini B’s current mouth full of chompers . . .

Oh, and I have to conclude with a little shout-out to Auntie E for keeping Mini Bunches always attired in the most up-to-date tutus.  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!

Now that she’s a crawling fool, it has gotten that much harder to get pictures of her sitting still.  So I’ve had to get creative in order to solicit her attention.

With her propensity to roll every which way, I also had to make our canvas a bit larger.  No longer was she safe on just one chaise.

And she was also way too interested in everything else happening and not her mom making crazy noises while holding the big black camera.

In addition to all the crawling, rolling, and general non-stop moving, Mini B also sprouted another tooth last month.  Of course, you’d think it would be one of her two front teeth, but it wasn’t.  She got one of her lateral incisors first.  Nice, eh?

And in a slight departure from the past monthly updates, I thought I’d go ahead and give a little rundown of what Mini B was up to during her eighth month of life.  She started the month by giving a tour of Niagara Falls to some fantastic visitors . . .

Despite what it looks like in the pictures, it was actually an unseasonably warm day.  It just also happened to be super windy.

Niagara Falls is a perfect place to contemplate life.  Just take it from my cousin . . .

Of course, Mini B just wanted to snuggle in to her dad.

After our super fun visitors, Mini B and I headed to Texas (as you may recall from here).  Mini B spent a lot of time sitting since she still hadn’t mastered crawling (although her army crawl was pretty down pat).

She also spent a lot of time pondering.

But didn’t take herself too seriously.

And of course she hung out with her cousin a lot.

And even played a little game of footsy with Mr. Squishy.

Besides eventually learning to crawl in month 8, Mini B also made some strides in eating.  Lots of yummies.  Lots of mess.

She went through a bit of a phase where she only wanted to eat Cheerios, but the positive of that was she really honed her pincer grasp.

I was actually worried for a little while that she might turn into a Cheerio.

There you have it–Mini B’s eighth month.  Or, in other words, the Month of the Cheerio.

What–did you think I was going to say she was in a movie or something?  Puh-leeze.  That’s for next year .

Mini B’s nursery was featured in the Before & After section on Apartment Therapy Friday!  Check it out here.  I was so excited that I actually took a picture of the site on my phone (I know–I’m a full on geek) . . .

I have no idea how it happened–I didn’t submit it or anything.  Total happy surprise to me.  :)  So thank you Apartment Therapy for stumbling across Mini B’s humble little nursery–she is really quite touched by the praise.

Oh, and if you want to see the actual post about Mini B’s nursery, just click here.  If you want to see an even amazinger nursery (yep, just making words up today), check out her cousin’s digs here.

Okay, okay, I’ll tell you–but just for Mr. Bunches’ sake, not yours–it’s our anniversary!!! That’s right, the big 0-3 (check out the big 0-2 here). Which, if you’re up on your wedding anniversary gifts, then you probably already knew that from the post title (traditional gift = leather, modern gift = glass). So which will Mr. B get? Who knows . . . but I’m guessing that since I’m swamped with work and Mini B, probably neither? Oops. How about a smile instead?

Still not enough?  Okay, then how about a kiss?

Happy Anniversary Mr. Bunches!!!!  I love you.

Oh, and this Hallmark Holiday was just the right excuse to change out the chalkboard pantry.  So we are no longer Cherishing the Season . . .

And instead appreciating all the love surrounding us . . .

Of course, that didn’t seem quite good enough.  It needed something more personal . . . PICTURES!!

Aaahhh, much better.  Now, Love is in the Air!

But let’s get to the craft at hand: DIY Valentine’s using maps and confectionery hearts.  Here’s a shot of the final products:

And now, the play by play.  Start with some maps.  I used an old road atlas, but you could use any maps really–as long as they’re maps that mean something to you or someone you want to send the Valentine to.

Then, get yourself some of those confectionery hearts.  I got a pack of four boxes at the dollar store.  On a sidenote, I think these things are absolutely disgusting–they taste like chalk.  Is that just me?  Personally, my favorite hearts are SweetTarts, but the sayings on those are too hard to read, so I went with these instead.  Then, just pour them out and pick out any with good sayings (you’ll probably have to throw out half of them b/c the printing won’t be centered/legible/make sense/etc).

Once you pick out some good ones, just put the hearts next to a place with some meaning–I chose to place them near where the recipient lives, and snap a picture.

I used my dslr to take the pictures, but you can also get pretty great results with an iPhone and Instagram:

Then, just print out the pictures.  I ordered them online through Snapfish and picked them up an hour later at my local Walgreen’s.  Not the best quality, but since these are just for Valentine’s cards and not destined for frames, I figured that was fine.

Once I got the pictures, I also grabbed some blank Valentine’s cards in the $1 section at Target.  Pack of 8 cards & envelopes for $1?  Yes please!  One pack had cut out hearts and the other were just plain chevron lovelies.

Then, I just cut down each picture to center the confectionery heart in the opening, and I gave the pics rounded corners just for a little something extra.

Once they were cut down, I added some double-side tape, made sure the pic was centered just so, and pressed.

Now, some of my little hearts weren’t quite centered in the pictures I took, so those I put in the chevron cards.  Which, of course, meant that I had to cut out hearts.  Since my cutting job wasn’t stellar, I outlined it with a black sharpie.  Black Sharpies–they hide all kinds of sins.

So there you have it, customized cards for your loved ones:

And I could’ve stopped there, but well, I didn’t.  I was craft-crazy and Mini B was taking an uncharacteristically long nap.  So I embellished.  I got out my pseudo-washi tape (not real washi tape, but close enough–also from Target) and got my embellishing on.

So much better right?  So there you have it–some easy DIY Valentine’s for your nearest and dearest.

Oh, and this idea doesn’t just work for Valentine’s Day–I gave Mr. B a framed shot for our wedding anniversary last year (he proposed in Boston Common).

And for those just waiting for Mini B to photo bomb this post, here you go.  Quite the heart breaker this one, eh?