Afternoon Adventures

1. Dress up and subsequent running around in a diaper fun

2. Almost rolling over to see big sis in costume

3. Not putting away toys and losing them for a week - I doubt she will even care!

4. First time tickling and laughing response - which made my day!

5. Discovering 4 splinters and traumatizing experience for E, Papa and Mama trying to get them out!

I think you can figure out who is who in the first four. No pics again! Bad mama!!!!

Crazy Week Ahead!

Car is loaded and its not even 7... This week is going to be crazy but yesterday made up for the insanity. I went running (3 miles) for the first time in a year (and I am paying the price now). We loaded everyone up and drove 4 miles down the road and hopped in the pool for the first time of the season (yes the car was insanely packed up and yes we forgot the camera : (

Here's to summer without a vacation though I am pretty much going to set up camp at the pool on Saturday mornings which will require me to get part of the house cleaned Friday night but it will be worth it

Good idea... Bad idea

1. Good idea - go to NC farmers market
Bad idea - go during E and R's nap times and pay the price by listening to R scream for 30 min in the car

2. Good idea - give E oj
Bad idea - give her so much juice that she super soaks through her diaper, pjs, car seat cover, and onto the car seat protector

Lessons learned...
1. It's my fault the girls missed nap... Won't do that again!

2. Order another Eddie Bauer seat protector

3. My mom needs to open her own restaurant... I need to take some time and learn how to cook and bake!

Images from the afternoon #11

And this does not include the 2 loads that have been put away or the 4 loads left to do...

My morning on pics... #11

R is sleeping and E is doing her normal thing...

Nightly Musings...

1. Ordination Announcements - soon to be check

2. Thank you notes from Rs baptism and Es bday - not check but making progress

3. E loves her Abby-pail (Abigail) book she got from her friend E for her bday. Check them out at Hallmark - the interactive story buddy. It has replaced Big Red Barn as the nightly staple at story time.

4. Call me crazy but I am seriously considering giving cloth diapers a whirl. Maybe not so much with E but def with R. I am still learning but just dropped another $40 on diapers yesterday for her and I am just generally annoyed with diapers. Maybe because E is fighting the potty and I am channeling my frustration away from her and instead on all diapers? I don't know... Someone convince me - cloth or disposable!!!

Images from the Afternoon #10

Mama's helper...

Best hubs ever

Lee has been leaving insanely early this week but he still finds time to make coffee... Which is crucial to my morning.

More to come on E's potty experience later!

Deacons, Pottys, and bottles

On my mind...

1. Deacons - Lee is getting ordained a deacon in one month! We are still trying get some things ordered but details have been set! I wonder how much crazier life is going to be being married to clergy!

2. Pottys - grrr... E has been taking off her diapers and asking for a change as soon as she needs one. So she is insanely close using the potty but she has no interest in actually sitting on the potty!

3. We found a bottle that R likes! It is the .99 cent Wallyworld brand bottle. I try and give her a bottle as part if our nightly routine. She will take formula or pumped milk so that is something I don't have to worry about!

The girls and their Ninis

E has been quick to point out in the last few days that her Nini is pink and white. She also has been wanting to snuggle it and R so to keep the peace they are having snuggle time together but with their own Ninis. R is more interested in her chatterbox sister than the Nini but E insists that R snuggle her Nini too

Happy Birthday E!!!

Today is E's 2nd birthday - which is pretty much insane. She is such a spunky little blessing. She is going to blow out some candles today but won't have any idea about making a wish so I will for her. (In the most cheesy way possible) With a song that makes me cry (still hormonal - oh yeah! - and proud of it). Moms or moms-to-be looking for a good cry - definitely worth a download : ) If you are really want to set off the waterworks listen to the song as you are picking out a baby pic for the post and see how much your little one has gotten in 2 years.... Whoa!

Rascal Flatts - My Wish

My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to,
Your dreams stay big, and your worries stay small,
You never need to carry more than you can hold,
And while you're out there getting where you're getting to,
I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too

Bday prep

And the stockings were hung from the chimney with care....

Oh wait...

And the balloon was clipped to the highchair with care...

Not ready for E to be 2!!!!

Overheard...

***Intense loud bangs... silence

I thought Lee was home early because it is raining. But I here them again. Crack the door to E's room. She has all her crib paraphernalia on the floor and she is bouncing in her crib. She sees me smiling. I close the door... The banging goes on

So much for night night this afternoon

Happy Birthday to Me!!

Is what I was serenaded to on the way home from Raleigh-world celebrating on of E's cousin's bday. Also I was reminded - my birthday Thursday, my birthday Saturday, Tinkerbell ice cream... Enter chorus of happy birthday and old McDonald and twinkle star... Repeat for at least 20 min.

Conclusions...
1. E is very intent/excited about her bday
2. She is confusing cake and ice cream
3. She should never be given chocolate cake at 8 pm - 1.5 hrs past bedtime
4. Family gatherings are awesome
5. Toddlers on sugar highs are really amusing to listen to... Just not on repeat in an enclosed space

Parental Updates

Well I my haste to get the updates published I failed to mention a few of mami and papi updates.

1. Lee is getting ordained a deacon. I forgot if I posted that on the blog. Dates are still being worked out but we are very excited

2. I am going to try and get on this whole running thing again now that R is on a nightly routine and will take a bottle so I downloaded a new song on iTunes - King of Anything. When I listened to the radio with the music turned up and the windows down that song was on pretty often - you can tell how long its been since that was : ) Should be a good addition to the running playlist. If you have any that should be added let me know!

Monthly Update - April Part Two

All you have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ!

Let's see Papa has been insanely busy with work and the girls miss him but 'tis the pool season. Speaking of the weather it has been nice. We try and go outside in the afternoons. E loves going outside at school too. She always asks about the Moo Cows and horses on the way to school as well as the firestation. We have ventured out to the field where the cows hang out but E just wants to 'roll the window' and not get out.  There is nothing that she can't say. She is really into days of the week. She does not like it if I tell her the word in Spanish and she knows the word in English. Example: When we read Big Red Barn she loves to point out the butterflies which are mariposas in Spanish - she is ready to battled over the butterflies. It is hilarious.

BFF 1.0

BFF 2.0

The girls and I went down to Pinehurst for a good friend's ordination to be a deacon - who also happens to be R's Godfather. Saw a bunch of friends from UNC which was great. 

Not long after that we went to one of E's friends funeral - (a very good friend of mine's child). So now E has a friend in heaven. It has definitely changed my perspective a bit. Stop and tell your kids you love them - often. Please pray for little baby N and his sweet parents.

The Godfather - well R's Godfather

E went to Nani's son's birthday party. She definitely did not know what to make of the pinata (sorry don't know how to make the special Spanish n). She loved the cake though. R had a big time too!

Biggest highlight of the month was R was initiated into the Church! The sacramental trifecta! We had a big time at church that Sunday.

Monthly Update - April Part One

Okay I am throwing in the towel on trying to keep the girls updates going each month so we'll give family monthly family updates for the time being and see how that works... So here goes April

The first week of April was consumed with churchly activities I think we were at church Palm Sunday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday - which is alot especially for the girls. They did surprisingly well but I had low expectations but good times. That Saturday is when Grammy and the girls and I trekked to the library for storytime. It was fun but the Rapper on the Bus song still strikes me as odd. Wheels on the Bus is what we sing around here - I guess that's what you get for living the country! We had a great Pascha/Easter with my family and E and Uncle Kevin had a big time! E loved her basket. R well could have cared less though she is thoroughly enjoying her gas drops that came in the basket : )

Jibbe came by during Bright Week to give E a basket.

April has brought on a newfound attitude to food. E's 'I don't like it' before even trying the food has left her tummy .5 empty some nights but I am not a short order chef and she will learn to eat what is served. I do make sure she consumes something of substance before bed but on nights when dessert is offered and she does not eat... No dessert for sure.

R is growing like a little weed - well I think more like a carrot because her hair stands up like a carrot growing out of the ground : ) She can be quite the talker but want 100% attention before she will starting cooing. When is E around forget it. R has really good head control and I think was 12 lbs when we went for the 2 month check up. She is not a super fan of tummy time. She LOVES her swing. Best place for afternoon naps.

Future Voters

Among other afternoon shenanigans including driving out of the way to check on the cows and horses (more on that) We voted.

No matter who you vote so as long as you are an informed voter, voting one time - go vote and voice your opinion. If you don't vote, you cannot complain about political issues, taxes, services etc etc

Now back to the cows and horses. We go by fields with cows and horses in the mornings on the way to school and I always point out the Moo Cows and the horses to E. This week the cows have been MIA so I told E 'the cows must be on the barn'. In the afternoons when she does not see the cows she say 'must be in the barn'. Oh and her new fav book Big Red Barn. Whenever we get in the car she asks if we are going to see the moo cows and because of my errands I decided to detour home to see if we could find this elusive barn where the cows have been kicking it the past few days. Turns out there is no barn, they are just in a different field... Now I wonder what E will tell me tomorrow am.

She gives me a good chuckle every day.

She won't touch flowers now because I gave her a dandelion on a walk one afternoon and there was an isty spider in the center! Oooops totally my bad!

Also we saw a toad/frog/amphibious creature on the sidewalk up to our house and seriously everyday she goes to the spot and says no frog, no toad... I am hoping it will resurface just so I can see how she reacts!

Love her and R too especially since last night she slept from 9-6 - awesome... We will see how tonight goes

Whoa What a Day!!!

Just some insight into my more than normally crazy day...

6:30 am - Lee wakes me up ob his way out. Fortunately the coffee has been preset which I need to go do for tomorrow... Okay I'm back... Took shower generally morning wake up

7 - get E moving for the day. Get myself and E dressed and fed - not in that order.

7:45 - Get R up who is still asleep from her 4 am feeding. Yes she is in the crib now and she seems to be taking to it! Feed R. Get snacks for E. Pray upstairs in the chapel which is a small feat just getting up and down the stairs...

8:17 - shouting focus focus with E around the house as we try and get out the door.

8:35 - Swimworld... Coloring, pay a bill

9:15 - sticker bank. Love it that E still shouts no money, no money even when we actually do have money and can go to the bank. Drop her off at MMO following the bank.

9:50 - Car to Ford to have tires replaced and rotors ground. Yet another expense!!!

10 - Back at Swimworld. Get R in the beco, work work, work. Time to leave and E which complicated because I don't have carrier snap base in Jibbes car.

12:45 - PBJ per E's request. Changes dress after water spill due to big girl cup.

1:30 - discover that work email is messed up!!! Mess around in the kitchen and laundry while trying to figure out what in the world with the email. Talk to R about how she never gets a word in when E is around - love talking with her. She is insanely cute!

3:30 - Try and figure out when I will get my car back. Ford tells me about more issues! Not what I need!!!

4:20 - take girls to meet BFFs at City Lake. Oh it's insanely hot...

6:00 - deliver Jibbe to church since my car won't be ready until tomorrow.

6:20 - Get home, feed E, eat, get food for Jibbe, change 3 diapers, get E in pajamas

6:45 - leave to retrieve Jibbe at 7

7:10 - set up shop to get more work done.

8:45 - R is mad she is not in her bed

9:15 - Deliver Jibbe home, get home, watch the end of the Braves game...

Love life, even on the insanely crazy days....