In March out little girl turned 4 and like her brother, she could not wait to be another year older. I believe we began keeping track of the countdown to her and her brother's birthday back in December. But I get it, birthdays are special and all about you. I'm a big fan of being pampered and celebrated.
As she looks up to her big brother, she wanted to celebrate her day at the same place...Skyzone. And so we did...they jumped and laughed and we even had some tears. But that is life with a newly minted 4 year old. All drama. All. The. Time. I am not looking forward to the preteen or teen angst or drama. But hopefully I will be better prepared to deal and function during that time in her life.
After Skyzone the birthday girl requested we eat at Cowfish...a sushi burger joint that is pretty awesome. I mean, it has to be awesome if the kids are asking to go, right? We have yet to have a bad meal there and I have to admit when they ask to go, I giddy too.
This is how our favorite girl has grown from the side eye giving newborn to the sassy princess. Everyone says they grow up in a blink of an eye but I don't feel it. Not yet. I hope time always moves at the pace it is going and that my little girl is always my little girl.
That is what I have become...a fly by blogger. I have sat at my desk with my blog open and wanted to write and then I get pulled away to referee a fight or to play. Or sometimes I just can't seem to remember what idea I had 4 hours ago that seemed to need a post...
A month has passed since my last entry and in that time we've done the following:
Loving it!
Celebrated one year in our home. And while we might not have curtains in every room or have it decorated like a Pinterest board, it is home. It felt right from the first walk-thru and now a year later we are still just as happy.
The Hubby and I managed a date night...there was talk of these happening monthly. They don't. Oops...
Yum!
The trees in our yard bloomed perfectly for Easter, which gave us a nice family photo.
Easter 2014
There is nothing like strawberry season, so of course we hit a patch and got some fresh!
May can not be complete without some Mother's Day love and while things didn't go according to plan, with a sick child and all, my kids did manage to give me a day without them bickering and fussing.
My favorite girl
My mini me
My favorite girl took dance this season and has loved every bit of it. I am happy for her and hope she continues dancing. Her recital was this past weekend and I didn't get many good shots...mostly because she refused to cooperate. But here is a cute one of her and a classmate.
T and a dance classmate
And this brings us to the close of the school year and summer vacation. I need to have some sort of plan ready so I don't go crazy and the kids don't get bored. Hopefully it won't be another month before I update!
Here we are in what is my favorite time of year, Autumn. I am an October baby and it has always been my favorite month. Living in the South, sometimes you don't really get all 4 seasons but I am hoping that moving just a little further North will afford us true seasons.
Back BK (before kids) I always decorated the house for Fall. It was usually a mix of Autumn decor and Halloween decor. But that all seemed to stop after I had an early walker and no desire to have decor pulled down and destroyed. Because kids do that...you can own something for 20 years and the moment they get a hold of it? Broken. Oh..wait, is that just MY kids?!
Owly the Warmer
Last week was warm almost on the verge of too hot but this week? We've started off the second week of October with wonderfully cool temperatures. I happily dropped a cube into our owl warmer and the house smelled like pumpkin spice in no time. Add a batch of chocolate chip pumpkin muffins and we've got Autumn in full effect.
But before I can officially welcome the Fall, I have to make at least one trip to the beach and we did that last week in September. Yes, the calendar says Fall but it really is a great time to hit Florida. We went to our normal little hotel and basically did nothing but swim in the pool and walk on the beach. It was fantastic! I think all of us could have easily stayed another week. I was also lucky to have gotten an early birthday gift, an iPhone 5 which allowed me to take shots like these:
Sunrise (iPhone5, no filter)
Mommy and the Kids (iPhone 5 w/ filter)
The year seems to be rolling right along and while I simply adore fall...I must admit that I have turned on some Christmas music a time or two. I may be breaking that out right in November before Thanksgiving!
I took this picture at the park over the weekend. We haven't let Spencer hold Teagan since we brought her home from the hospital. There are two reasons for that...one is that he hasn't really asked. And the second? He has a tendency to be to rough with her. He has let us know that he is jealous of the time we give her, that use to be his. I need to get better about giving Spencer more of my time one on one. It's a very hard balance and I will kindly take any advice on how to do this.
When I asked Spencer if he wanted to slide down the slide with Teagan he got very excited and seemed a bit apprehensive when I told him to hold her tight. He did hold her but she still ended up bumping her head and scaring her brother to almost tears. But I managed to get several shot...and that's all that matters, right? No one is worse for wear and Mommy got the shot!
Teagan has lost her newborn look and is easing into her infant look. It's amazing that it has only been 2 almost 3 months. She is cooing and kicking her arms and feet like a champ. She does have a genius big brother to keep up with...
This week I am linking up with Mandy over at Harpers Happenings. She does a nice Saturday post and link up where we can talk about what we wore and where it was from. I've wanted to link up before but rarely get dressed up on Saturday. But this Saturday was different, as I had an appointment to a new salon for a much needed haircut. A haircut I needed to get before baby girl arrives next week. And for some reason, anytime I go and get my hair done, I dress up. I guess I don't want them to see me in schlumpadinka mode. Anyhoo, without further ado, my steppin' out Saturday pictures:
I was doing some picture clean up and came across this photo from December of 09. It's one of my faves! My husband was so excited to get Spencer into the cockpit. He looks so tiny compared to how big he is now. *sigh* They really do grow up fast, don't they?
I took this picture over the weekend while we were in Florida visiting my family. We had coaxed Spencer to give his Aunt Brie a kiss and he did..this is his face just after. I love how she's smiling and he looks like "I did it, now what?"
There she is our little girl, our "princess." It's funny because I had a feeling she would not cooperate when we went in and sure enough, she didn't. She is breech and had her fingers and feet in her face most of the time. The poor tech worked so hard to get the shots that we have. I have to hand it to her, she was great. If you're in the Atlanta area, I highly suggest Shannan @ Stork Vision. She definitely has the perfect personality for the job and I felt totally at ease.
I need to look at Spencer's pictures and see if I'm going to have siblings that look like twins. I always think that's so neat! If memory serves me right I don't think they will though. She has way fuller cheeks. But she has his nose and lips. Well, only a few more weeks and we will really be able to tell!
I don't remember when I began showing Spencer, Thomas but it didn't stick at first. I thought maybe he would just be one of those boys that didn't get into Thomas. For his first birthday I purchased a wooden Thomas and small 8 piece track. They didn't get played with and the track? Well he decided throwing it was so much better than actually playing with it. So I put it away. Fast Forward about 6 months and suddenly he is into trains. And now at 23 months? He can say Thomas,Percy,Toby, etc. He will ask me to watch Thomas and Friends. And the train table Daddy Santa bought him for Christmas? Super hit. Thomas is da train. We will be going to Day Out with Thomas this year and I can't wait!
Dear baby girl, So here we are at week 30, almost week 31. Today I found out the official day you will be born, March 1, 2011. Spencer will be 2 years and 23 days older than you and you can bet he won't let you forget it when you guys become teenagers!
It's been a rough week here as your brother has been sick and Christmas waits for no one. But we are surviving and I look forward to finding your first Christmas ornament next year. And taking family pictures around the tree.
Well, we are still measuring ahead and so the doctor has scheduled an ultrasound to go along with our normal every 2 week appointment. She didn't seem worried and I think you are just a longer than usual baby. I mean, look at your dad!
You are still moving like crazy, especially at night. I hope you aren't thinking about coming out and having your days and nights mixed up. I don't think I will survive!
We will be painting your room this week and setting up the crib. I can't believe it just a few weeks we will be holding you and bringing you home.
No real musings today, instead I am going to leave you with a few of our Christmas pictures. Seems that is the thing to do, as just about everyone in the blogosphere has done some sort of Christmas recap.
Our Christmas was just the three of us and we were lucky that all the 'bad' weather made for a great day...because Hubby was able to stay and enjoy Christmas. He had originally been scheduled to work. I consider that our very own Christmas miracle. Anyhoo, without further ado a few shots of our day.
So last week I made an error. And no one caught it. It took me a while to catch it and then I was sort of sad that no one else questioned it. Last week I posted my weekly bump update and it was the wrong week. In my defense when I had my appointment the midwife came in and looked at my chart and said you are 18 weeks and 2 days today and somehow that stuck in my mind. I will have to double check at the end of this month, I really think it was just because the midwife is rather flaky. So that's my excuse...what was yours dear readers??
Dear Bump,
So last week I made you older than you are, but it was an honest mistake. Maybe subconsciously I am truly ready to be at the halfway point? With your brother the pregnancy seemed to crawl by but this time around it seems to be flying.
I think I have been feeling you flutter around but it is so quick and never in the same place twice I can't be sure. This week you are about the size of a baked potato which is still quite small. Too bad I can't say the same for my now protruding bump. If it wasn't obvious a few weeks ago, it is now very obvious that I am with child.
For a while there we were on a name kick and constantly trying names. That's slowed down quite a bit. I still try names I hear on TV or see in credits but still nothing jumps out at me. Maybe we are suppose to wait until you arrive and we see your tiny face and personality to name you?
I think this is the week you begin to hear sounds outside of the womb...let me apologize in advance. It is loud out here. Your brother is quite rambunctious and can cause me to lose my cool and raise my voice. We don't mean to and I'm working to try and get that under control.
Almost time to see what you are...will we or won't we is the question.
It seems like just yesterday we found out about you and yet 18 almost 19 weeks have passed. I am almost to the halfway mark! And what a difference a week makes! As I stared at this weeks bump shot I am amazed at how we went from a faint little pudge to hello momma!
Going forward I am going to show you off in all your glory. I really enjoy my preggo body and belly. I find it amazing that I can create a person and house them in my belly. I don't mind showing off my stretch marks, my war wounds so to speak.
This was our week for the monthly doctor visit. Both Spencer and I got to hear your heart beat. It always makes me smile. Your heart was gong about 160 BPM...the midwife said you could possibly be a girl. Spencer's heart rate was always in the 170's. If you are a boy,maybe you will just be a tad bit more laid back?
I've posted a picture of the Spencer bump at 19 weeks for comparison. Pretty close, huh?
Well if you look really hard at my belly...you can tell I am pregnant. I no longer have to push my belly out in order to show. It isn't a big belly but it makes all the more real that you are there and will be here soon enough.
I've been having a bit of pain but I think it is because I have to do a lot of bending. Your big brother really keeps me on my toes. Hopefully he will only teach you the good things. The other day we went out and collected acorns to celebrate the arrival of Autumn. Can't wait until Spencer can show you the things I am showing and teaching him.
I have to admit...I am scared. I know I will love you just as much as I love your Daddy and Spencer but what if I can't handle both of you? I didn't realize how overwhelming motherhood could be and now with two of you needing my attention, well it can really seem like a lot. Thank goodness I still have plenty of time to wrap my head around it.
Several more weeks before we decide to see what you are...but in our hearts you're already special.
My husband is a great father and a wonderful Daddy. I am lucky, as he has always been hands on from the moment we knew we were expecting.
His jobs keeps him away from home anywhere from 3 nights to 5 and so when he gets home, he has missed out on a lot of little things. I say little because being with Spencer 24 hours a day, I see it all and usually several times a day.
But when Daddy gets home and begins to take over toddler duty, I realize that even though he is technically giving me a break...he makes it look easy. While I feel like most days I look harassed, he looks like this when taking an outing with the Boy: See how cool and laid back this Daddy is? He's baby-wearing and yet his clothes are neat and his hat is in place. I have to think it's because the Mommy that we don't see in the picture is off to the side sweating, with her hair in her face and the baby supplies.
I think he has it so easy because I make it that way for him. That's right, I am admitting he gets to slide and it's all my fault. See, I feel like being a stay-at-home is a luxury, not my right. So when Daddy gets home, he should be able to relax and not have a certain munchkin all over him. Or watching certain munchkin should not be a lesson in patience. And so, this is where I step in to diffuse any situations, to redirect Spencer's attention, to make it easier on Daddy.
You know when I realize that I'm making it easy on Daddy? When he is gone and I'm left with the 30 pound toddler who refuses to leave my side. Our days usually go like this:
Except I rarely get to lie down and after I say what...Spencer says nothing and continues with whatever he was doing, happy that he got my attention for a split second.
So here I have a great Daddy and I am the one shortchanging him. I am not letting him rise to the occasion when the time comes and be Super Daddy. I guess I need to take off my cape and hand it to Daddy and be okay in knowing he can do this.
Happy Father's Day to all the wonderful Daddy's out there...but especially Spencers'!
Remember how I said we had purchased a membership to the local zoo? Yes, well that was $79 well spent and has already paid for itself in under a month! We have been going once a week and I'm not tired of it yet and neither is Spencer. I think what I like most is that I don't feel like we have to spend the whole day there or see everything. We can take our time and linger and just enjoy our visit and then go home.
I thought seeing the animals would be his most favorite thing...I mean the boy loves to "roar" like a lion, bear, or tiger. The picture book with an elephant? Yeah, I have to point out its trunk about 20 times before he is satisfied that I am correct. So I really believed that he would be enthralled by the elephant, lion or bears. But no his most favorite thing? It's the carousel. I don't blame him! Where else can you actually ride an elephant, tiger or bear?
The zoo also has a nice playground area where he can run around and climb and interact with kids both smaller and bigger. This time he watched a boy about school age swing out of the back of the pretend school bus. Guess who attempted to copy that move?
Watching him these last few weeks has really made it evident that is growing up so fast! I find myself loving the hugs and laughter even more and hanging on tighter. It will be a sad day when he no longer finds it cool to hang with his mommy.
