So much to share!

I have found that, during this particular period in my life and even in the midst of a seemingly monotonous life, so much growth and excitement abounds within the ordinary grind. For me, it takes a moment of quiet reflection to really notice and appreciate the changes that have been happening in our household lately but, when I do take that time, it is amazing to think about. Mostly, I am talking about the ways both kids have changed developmentally over the past few months. Adeline's vocabulary has blossomed and she is now stringing multiple words together in to sentences. Of course, some of her words are largely unintelligible to the untrained ear, but I am particularly adept and understanding words like "mee-ow" (for "milk") and "Ree" (for "Reid") and "err are ew" (where are you") and "pee bow" ("for "peek a boo"). She is funny, sassy, strong-willed, loving and, especially in the late afternoons and early mornings, a stage 5 clinger. Meanwhile, Reid's imagination has been going stronger and you can often find him fully entrenched in some sort of physical game where he is a ninja or Sonic the Hedgehog or some sort of superhero. He keeps us on our toes with his physical hi-jinks and fierce independent streak, but he is also incredibly loving and kind (especially to his baby sister). With the holidays fast approaching, both kids have been floating on a whole new level of excitement (Cloud 9 times 100). While the copious amounts of sugar that surround us at all times during the holiday season certain help trigger some excitement, the joy and love (yay family time) surrounding the season are palpable and I am certain the kids feel it all. Yay for holidays!

Disney Very Merry Christmas

Reid, Andy, and I recently visited a very magical place during a very special time of the year: Disney World! I can't recall if I went to Disney's Very Merry Christmas Party when I was a child (I recall going to some type of holiday lantern event with Nell and Dee Dee), but I am hoping Reid always remember his special visit. We met up with Sara, Sean, Savannah, and Sammy Seifried and enjoyed a lot of cookies, hot chocolate, cooler weather, Christmas lights, Christmas book, Elsa lighting up Cinderella's castle, snow on Mainstreet, many of our favorite Disney characters dancing together in front of Cinderella's castle, and a happy and playful holiday parade. Although it took us 1 million years to get out of the park and maneuver our way down I-4 to get home and despite the fact that Reid did not go to sleep until, probably, 11:30 or 12 a.m., the night was well worth the money and effort. Unfortunately, baby A did not join us this year, but I am certain she will be at our next hurrah. You did it again, Disney!

18 months of sweet A

When I think about adjectives to describe Ms. Adeline, the first one that frequently comes to mind is "sweet." I often feel odd about this because I want to be very careful about stereotyping my children and know that "sweet" is more often used to describe girls than boys. But honestly, Adeline is sweet. She is many other things (sassy, funny, curious, smart, etc.), but she is also very sweet. She is super cuddly and loves to give kisses, hugs, and high fives. She also loves to princess wave and smile at random strangers and is sure to elicit smiles from said strangers when you take her to the grocery store or the mall or anywhere really. She is saying so many words, some that she definitely knows the meaning of (family names, more, up, walk, outside, milk, wawa, etc.) and some that she copies. She loves to climb, copy her brother, color, eat (especially fruit), dance, suck her thumb, sit in Reid's blue jeep, try to use Reid's mini scooter, listen to books, play with her babies, lightboxes (phones), and cuddle, cuddle, cuddle. I am so excited to watch her continue to grow! 

Happy 4th birthday to Reid!

Happy 4th birthday to Reid - my kind, smart, funny, athletic, and stubborn (etc.) little guy who is currently in love with his sister, superheros, ninjas, dragons, knights, board games, wrestling, swimming, reading, popsicles, donuts, fruit, and his cousins (in no particular order).

Before the sun came up this morning, Reid crawled into bed with Andy and me. I quickly told him, "Happy Birthday," to which he responded, "Happy Birthday to you, Mommy." Although I responded that it isn't my birthday, I later realized that, in a big way, Reid's birthday is my birth day. On October 16, 2015, a new life began for me as well. Prior to Reid's birth, I was used to living a different sort of life - one filled with work stress and high-achieving ambitions and learning how to navigate married life, home ownership, and puppy training. My life was filled with late-night dinners, occasional boozy brunches, quick and easy errands, a clean and organized house and car, long walks and runs with Andy and Finn, and hours of uninterrupted sleep. Now, without a doubt, life is messier, busier, more chaotic, and much more expensive. Most days, I am shockingly tired - running on adrenaline (and hello, cortisol) and unnecessary kid snacks. Still, when people tell me I will miss these crazy days, I believe them. I love my children beyond comprehension and the fullness of my life has increased exponentially since their births, despite the fatigue, frayed nerves, and trashed car that has come with this new journey. I am acutely aware of the monumental role I was given four years ago, and I am so proud of Reid and incredibly fortunate and grateful to be his mother. Happy Birthday to both of us!

Life Lately!

There are so many times throughout my week when I think about wanting to write a blog post and, really, needing to write a blog post to document all of the developments and fun that we have been having as a family. Then, I don't. I just don't. I have the time while sitting at my desk and I have the desire, but I struggle with finding the perfect time to write the perfect post. I just love my little man and my little lady so much and I am so impressed with the way they are growing- sometimes, words don't seem to adequately capture this stage. Still, I know I will forget details about the life I am currently living- the busy, chaotic, messy, wonderful, stressful, heart-filling life with two kids under 4 and 2 full time (+) jobs. I so desperately do not want to forget details, even those that seem mundane and typical right now.I know I will treasure reminiscing about all of the little moments and details surrounding this busy period when I am older and when time has taken its toll on my memory. So, with all that being said, here is a little update on life lately...

1. THE SIBLING BOND
Ahhh, talk about heart- melting. The sibling bond has been growing in our household. One of my very favorite things is to look in the rear view mirror when driving and see my littles holding hands completely unprompted. I also love when Reid tries to comfort Addie when she is crying, usually by singing a song or trying to tickle her or hand her a toy or feed her a snack. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't, but it is very clear that Addie looooooves her big brother. I'm pretty sure she even says "brubba," although I am not 100% on that one. She thinks he is hilarious most of the time and only occasionally frustrates him by smacking him (unabashedly) or gleefully taking one of his toys.

2. VOCABULARY EXPLOSION
Both of the kids have shown great strides in expanding their vocabulary lately. Addie can say bee-boo (for bellybutton) and point to her bellybutton, say and point to doggy (in books), motion and say "mo" for more, say mama, dada, bobby (??), and seemingly, "brubba." She will also wave and say "hi" and occasionally, "bye." Meanwhile, Reid's vocab surprises me on a daily basis. He strings together phrases without a problem, picks up and sings song lyrics, and will say things like "I insisted" and "my choosen" (for my choice) and "gabloon" (for balloon) that melt my heart.

3. FAVORITES
Food: Addie - pizza and strawberries; Reid - pirate's booty, popsicles, candy, and fruit of any kind
Show: Addie - not into it; Reid - Jake and the Neverland Pirates
Movie: Addie - not into it; Reid - Bolt, Puss in Boots
Song: Addie - will dance to most songs; Reid - Old Town Road, some VBS songs

:) :) :)

An Update on My Big Boy

Where to begin with updates on Reid? The first thing that comes to mind is that he has been exhibiting an amazing imagination. He easily transforms in to Batman or Superman (often with the help of his highly coveted costumes or pajamas) and runs around the house freezing or hitting or knocking down villains. He also loves to make cars and planes and dragons and any manner of imaginary things with magnatiles and legos or any crafting material he can get his hands on. While he isn't as enamored with drawing, coloring, or painting, he loves to show off his artwork proudly and with gusto. He loves to recruit Andy or me to join him in his imaginary games, and I know he cannot wait until Adeline is older and can join as well. He does try to get her engaged from time to time ("here comes monster baby") but he also doesn't enjoy when she knocks down his creations or fails to play his games as instructed. I know in time they will be wonderful play buddies. Right now, however, his go-to playmate seems to be Dylan. He really looks up to Dylan and characterizes himself more as Dylan's age than Charlies (and gets very defensive if you tell him otherwise). Don't get me wrong, he loves and treasures all his cousins (yay for "cousin parties"), but he has "borrowed" some pretty awesome toys from Dylan (much to my dismay at times-- think nerf and laser guns and a lightsaber sword) and Dylan moves at a fast and exciting pace. Right now, Reid is also in to playing baseball with Dylan, and I foresee many front yard baseball games in their future (and in their now). Reid also enjoys riding his jeep around, singing, playing guitar, and eating all the snacks. Such a special little guy!

One Year

My littlest love is one whole year old. I am not quite sure how we got here so fast, as trite as that is to say. My world before Adeline feels like a lifetime ago. Andy, Reid, and I have been so blessed by her life, and I hope and pray that I am able to watch her and Reid grow in to a happy, healthy adult. I love that little girl beyond measure. In an effort to document these fleeting moments, here are some fun memories and milestones:

1. Addie is starting to walk. As of this week, she can take about 7 steps in a row before she plops down on the floor. I know she has the ability to walk longer, but she gets everywhere she needs to go via crawling (sometimes on her knees, sometimes with her bum in the air) and in a faster, more effortless way. My girl is dramatic, and if you try to urge her to walk on her own when she isn't feeling it, she will put her little head down on the floor and cry/whine until you give up. She is doing things on her own time, and that is okay with us.
*Update: I waited a few days to finish this post because my co-worker came in to my office to chat on Friday afternoon, and I never spend time on my computer over the weekend. I am pleased to announce that Adeline can take more like 20-25 steps now (at least)! She still prefers crawling if she needs to get somewhere fast, but I believe we can call Adeline a "walker" now. You go, Addie girl!

2. Solid food is taking on more and more of a role in Addie's life. She eats a lot of fruit, vegetables, yogurt, cottage cheese, and cheese. She loves berries, soft apples, and cottage cheese the most. She also really enjoys sweet potatoes and bready items.

3. Addie is funny. She loves to play the "I'm gonna get you" game, loves to stick out her tongue and make funny noises, and will often smile and laugh if people around her are laughing. She just learned how to shake her head "no, no, no, no, no," and although I am not at all convinced she knows what she is communicating, she shakes her head with such pleasure and force (shakes her whole body, really)- so cute.

4. Reid and Adeline are developing the sweetest sibling connection. They can (just barely) touch hands when they are in the backseat, and nothing warms my heart more than looking in the rear view mirror and seeing their little hands touching. They often give each other hugs and Addie is so excited to see Reid (and vice versa) when we go pick up Reid from his class in the afternoon.

5. If you want to see a true princess/Ms. America wave,  ask A to wave hello. She has the sweetest disposition and loves waving hi to anyone and everyone - I can absolutely picture her on a parade float one day!

6. Shape sorters are a big hit right now, as is turning light switches on and off. So far, Addie seems to be quite dexterous like her brother. She also loves to dance, enjoys turning the pages on books, and her number one favorite activity is definitely climbing!

7. Addie is my little cuddle bug. She is so loving and will hook her little arm around our arms when holding her or place her head on our chest or shoulder in the sweetest way. I hope she never gets too old to cuddle with her mama.

8. People frequently ask me if Addie is a mama's girl but, honestly, I feel like it depends on the day. She may slightly favor me overall because of our nursing relationship (I am towards the end of my weaning journey now- an emotional time for me that deserves a blog post all its own), but she is enamored with Andy, too. Generally, she does prefer to be held by me or Andy, although it has been a little easier to pass her around lately.

9. Addie's relationship with Finn is nuanced- ha ha. She likes to pet him and watch him, but she loses her mind when he touches while she is eating. He circles her highchair like a starving shark and, although she will put her hand out (with food) from time to time, she will often get upset if he actually takes the food. She also absolutely detests when he licks her in his attempts to lick food off the high chair.

10. Addie likes her pool and water table, and she really liked exploring the beach recently. Her favorite beach activity, unfortunately, was eating the sand. She tends to eat a lot of things off the ground so that wasn't a big surprise, but beach sand was a little too much of a hit. Otherwise, I am very excited for a lot of future beach trips with our babe.

HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY, ADELINE CHARLENE!

This mama better get back to work and back to counting down the minutes (approx. 45 min as of now) until I get to pick my babies up from school. :)

Adeline at 10 Months!

Where, oh where, has the time gone? It sounds trite, but I really feel like Adeline's (almost) first year of life has flown by. While I am enjoying watching her grow, I am also a little bit sad at this revelation. She may be my last baby and she is so sweet and cuddly and little right now- I just want time to slow down, just a little bit. Anyway, my incredibly loveable little one is now ten months old, and listed below are some of her more recent accomplishments and stats:

- Has four teeth on the top and two on the bottom
- Loves eating and feeding herself and favors berries and cottage cheese at the moment
- Still nursing and gets pumped bottles at daycare (2 7oz) and 2-3 oz formula (or BM, depending) bottle (soon to be sippy)
- Loves laughing, especially at her big brother, and will copy someone who is laughing
- Very cuddly, which is mostly good, although she prefers to be rocked and cuddled to sleep...
- Crawling EVERYWHERE and often crawls with her knees in the air like a primate
- Pulls up on things and walks with her walker - she is very proud of herself (and we are proud of her)
- Likes to be thrown (gently and minimally) in the air
- Says Ma Ma and Da Da
- Waves hello and bye bye with her full arm and hand
- Blows kisses and plays peek a boo
- Will give a full-on, open-mouthed kiss- mostly to mommy ;)
- Has a magnetic attraction to Finn, Finn's dog bowls, and cell phones
- Loves to be held, especially my Mommy and Daddy

I think A will be walking any day now. I have already witnessed her stand up unassisted for a second or two. And she is getting better and better at using her lion walker and pulling up on items. Her teachers at school told Andy that she follows the bigger kids around the play area throughout the day and tries to copy what they are doing. Since they are already walking, I am sure she is taking notes. Plus, my baby girl is a smart cookie! Maybe I'm biased- whatever!

To My Precious Wild One....

Sometimes, it is way too easy to get lost in the rush of the day. I  have routines and deadlines. Not to mention laundry, grocery shopping, cleaning, and all the rest of my never-ending-to-dos. The days can be exhausting on every level- physically, mentally, and emotionally. Feelings can be complex and I can feel especially weary when you are in the midst of a meltdown or when you ask the same questions over and over and over again, hoping that the answer will change. You fight bedtime almost every night, often loathe getting dressed and leaving for school, and you can be a bit too physical with your baby sitter. And dinner time? Dinner time is a constant, draining negotiation (if you eat this, you can have fruit/a popsicle/more cheese, please sit down before you fall, don't eat with your hands, don't feed that to the baby...). Oh, and forget about picking up toys that you leave strewn throughout the house. Still, I desperately and regularly yearn for more time with you- all of you. I am amazed at how fast the years have flown by since you entered my world and how all encompassing my love for you is and always has been. Today, I picked you up from school and took you to lunch at sub-a-way. You were so excited to see me in the middle of the school day - your joy radiated while you ran down the hallway and out the door wearing your Batman cape. You found a big, wooden stick on our walk and immediately went to work finding bad guys and knocking them down. You asked me to hold your hand while you traversed rocky terrain (read: walked along the curb) and you excitedly pointed out the different colored buses that passed us by. And I felt so content to just be in the moment with you. During our lunch, we had the following exchange:

Me: You know what my favorite part of the day is? Spending time with you.
R: You know what my best part of the day is? Sharing my chips with you.
R: You know what my favorite part of the day is? You.

I am fully confident that, throughout life's ups and downs, my little family will be my favorite part of every day. What a gift.