A Day in the Life

Finally on Christmas break...not sure if that is a good thing or bad thing... ask me in two weeks. It has been so hectic around here trying to wrangle these kids and get everything ready for Christmas. I am not sure how moms with more kids or even moms that work full time do this. I am constantly exhausted. Seriously, those moms are my heroes!!

Last week, was a pretty typical morning trying to get us all ready to go. It was a pretty long week in between school and dance we had lots of doctors appointments. I lucked out this time where our appointment wasn't until 11:15... I don't totally understand how doctors offices just call and say "hey you have an appointment scheduled at this day and time" without even asking... again moms that work... how does that even fit?? Anyway, I snapped this pic and sent it to my friend on how my day was going...

This pretty much summed up my day... really my whole week. We were going for a hearing aid appointment and I seriously had everything in hand, walking out the door... the child did not even have her hearing aids in her ears!! Really?? We got there right at 11:15 frazzled with messy ponytails. This was actually how my entire week looked. Husband has been working long hours all week and I have successfully (maybe not) dried Dylan's hair, cooked dinner-while pouring half a bag of rice all over the floor, and put makeup on including mascara all while holding a baby this week!

This is how our day ended: with a smile (even though she asked about 50 times at the doctors if we could go home), a new hearing aid bear, new pink hearing aids, Arby's in our bellies, and only one more doctors visit left this year.

It was a bad week... I was left feeling defeated and exhausted with no end in sight. I thought if I could just have one week.... just one week where I didn't have to do anything- no appointments, no cooking, no cleaning, no laundry- it would be so awesome!

I posted this pic on facebook and got a message from a friend saying she didn't know Dylan had hearing aids and she asked a lot of questions. I told her it was hard but we were glad we were finally getting the help we need and we could already tell such a big difference in a short time. In the end she told me that her daughter had a leg amputation at 9 months old and how it never stopped her and she is going strong 11 years later. Wow! And just like that, God reminds us how very blessed we are. It is hard going to all these appointments but can you imagine how many appointments that she has had to go to?? How many different therapies and surgeries and doctors they have seen? How many tears that mom has cried asking why?
Thankful this Christmas for two beautiful, healthy (hearing) babies!
And as the Wise old Owl in "Pete the Cat" said... Just remember to look for the good in every day!

7 Months Old

Goodness... over a half year gone already. How is that possible! This boy brings so much joy to all of our lives. He is the most precious thing. He even laughs when you change his diaper. He is up to 16.8lbs...growing like a weed. He is in size 3 diapers, 12 PJs and 6-9 month clothes. We have started baby food and he still isn't a huge fan. He loves bananas of all kinds, fresh and pureed. He is still a little uncertain about vegetables though. He can push himself up on his arms and pull around to get things. He can sit for a while if I sit him up but gets pretty upset when he falls over. He still likes his jumper. He thinks his sister is hilarious no matter what she is doing. He can say "dada". He loves taking a bath and putting everything in his mouth. 

Green bean face! 

Tricking Grumpy by telling him something was on the ceiling!

Getting so close!

First Basketball Game

Halloween!

I had good intentions to have family costume theme for our Halloween party but someone only wanted to be Dora the Explorer.. I really thought we were over her. And of course she wanted little brother to be Boots, her loyal sidekick monkey. Well, as luck would have it, they both got sick the week of Halloween and still weren't feeling top notch the say of so we skipped the party and just did neighborhood trick or treating. I made the mistake of carrying Drew so he would be cute and seen. He gets quite heavy after an hour or so...
But Dora and Boots were definitely adorable!

We tried to trick or treat with some friends up the street but one of them was dressed as the headless horseman and Dylan was terrified of him even though she watched him put it on. It was definitely an interesting Halloween!

5 months... 6 months... oh my!

Wow!! My app on my phone has not been working even a little bit and I cannot remember to get on the computer to update this thing. I have lots of ideas too and lots of updates so beware of a lot coming up!!

This boy....

Isn't he sweet?? At 5 months, he was up over 15 lbs and seemed so long!! He was pushing out of the 9 month footed pjs and into the 12 month ones!! He loves his jumper and loves to roll. He loves mama as you can see and we are all just smitten with him.

At 6 months he was 15 lb 13 oz (25%) and 26.5 inches long (50%) and has a 17 inch head (75%). He was rocking size 3 diapers and in those 12 month pjs quite comfy. He is more 6-9 month in regular clothes though. He is still loving to jump jump jump in his jumperoo and can get anywhere by rolling. He has kind of regressed in sleeping and likes to keep mommy up a lot! He loves his sister and thinks she is hilarious. His hair is completely crazy and his daddy hates it! His dimples go on for miles and he loves to be held and cuddles.

Here are a few photos of the few months.

Swimming!

Razorback Fans!

Crazy hair!

smile!

Monkeying around!

Those toes!

Just adorably handsome!

Beach Bums!

I didn't think it would happen this year but we actually got to go to the beach!! Bob went to Alaska for work and the kids and I picked up Grammy and Grumpy and headed south. Only took us 12 hours to get there but it was a much needed break! This long car trip was much more enjoyable than Dylan's first long car trip. 

To say this one was excited was an understatement. She talked about it for weeks leading up to the big day! 

And this was pretty much Drews reaction. 

It was definitely worth the drive! Little miss had to go straight to the ocean. She didn't even hesitate and wasn't the slightest bit afraid! She would have jumped right in if we would have let her. 

So she did a lot of splashing and wore us out taking turns on who was going to take her swimming. 

And Drew did a lot of napping. If this isn't the cutest beach bum I don't know what is. 

Drew got to swim in the pool for the first time and loved kicking his feet and drinking the pool water. He figured out how to scoop it in his hand and put it in his mouth. 

And of course Dylan love jumping and splashing and playing with her brother. 

I loved beach bumming with these two! They are my favorites! 

4 months old!

Way behind on this one but this boy is growing so fast I'm just soaking it in!! At 14 lb 10oz and 25.5 inches long, he is growing like a weed. Still in 3 mo clothes but moving up to 6 month pjs because his feet are pushing the bottoms out and size 2 diapers. He has started rolling a couple times back to belly but hasn't quite figured out the other direction. He is giggling and cooing. He is sleeping through he might for the most part and seldom naps during the day. He is just the sweetest thing. 

He loves his sister! 

Trying to figure out this rolling thing. 

He loves bath time too! 

Tummy time is the best time! 

He found his feet and hasn't let them go. They are the most fun! 

He learned about the mobile from his sister! 

He learned about long car rides! 

He got to swim for the first time and loved it! He would just kick his feet all over. 

And he got to see the ocean and find out how awesome it is to be a beach bum. 

4 months old... Not too shabby! 

School Days!!

The day has come! We have had a long, semi-fun summer. We stayed inside a lot because it was so dang hot and the baby was not a fan of the heat. So it is finally the day we have both been looking forward to all summer, the first day of school!! We were definitely in need of a mommy-Dylan break! I hadn't told her she would have a new teacher but luckily her old teachers aide moved up to be lead teacher this year! So she had a familiar face and a few kiddos from last years class too. Orientation was last night and she instantly jumped in and started playing. Of course she had no desire to talk to her friends that she had talked about all summer long. Maybe she didn't want mommy to feel bad... 

So I stayed up til 11pm last night getting everything ready: dress, lunch box, change of clothes, teachers gifts, paperwork, etc. 

Yes I was one of "those moms" with the fancy teacher gift! Ha. Not usually my thing but I feel like a lot of moms in our class are "those moms" so I didn't want to be a slacker. Plus, this was so easy, found it on Pinterest with a free printable so all I had to do was print, cut and tie on! 

So after my exciting night, the baby was up at 4am and I nicely tucked him into bed with me as my alarm was to be going off in an hour and when the alarm buzzed he was still fussing and wanting to eat. We finally got up and got to stirring and I noticed he had ever so nicely puked all over himself... Like shirt, arms, legs, between his legs... Ugh!! So once I got him cleaned up and I got a shower, Dylan was up and ready to go. She asked where the sun was?!? Um, it's really freaking early kid! 

So we got her up and dressed and ready, she refused breakfast (of course), and was just ready! She loved taking pictures, which is odd for her, and said she looked like a princess in her dress! 

Drop off went super easy and I got a big hug and kiss bye! She washed her hands and went straight to playing! Bring it on Pre K3! Excited for our year with Ms. Katie and Ms. Susie!