WE LOVE COOKIES

Livi's Trip

2012-02-16T23:21:00.002-05:00

The original idea was to go on a short, weekend trip for Livi's bday instead of planning a big party like I usually do. The reasons being that a) she is only two and b) I am tired. always.

So we opted for Busch Gardens and Sea World since Livi loves Elmo and fishies. I was worried that we picked the wrong parks. I hadn't been to either in longer than I can remember and had no idea if there was really enough to do for small children. Well, I can confidently say we made the right decision. Both place are absolutely awesome and both kids had a wonderful time. Even the big one I am married too did. Turns out they were having a Beer and BBQ festival kinda thing while we were there.

But as things turn out, the mommy guilt did not escape me. After all, what kind of therapy will she have to go through when she sees that Liam got a sweet 2 year old birthday party and I didn't even have a cake for hers? So I am having a little get together (with a theme) on Sunday. This Sunday. And yes, I did decide this two days ago. But it won't be a big deal and it'll be fun to have some people that we love over. I think it's the least I could do for the gal, seeing how entertaining she's been and all.

Lizzie's Assignment

2012-02-07T18:36:00.000-05:00

The task: Take some pics of the kids with different facial expressions so that Cousin Liz could use the photos for a lesson at school.

The result: A bunch of pics of nutty kids mostly just sticking out their tongue and making strange noises.


Surprised

Happy

No idea, but no lie- she purposely made this face and held it for like 15 seconds

Sad

Excited?

Yikes!

Happy

Demonic Scariness

Reaction to almost anything I said

Leave me alone now, I want no more to do with this

Raising Hope

2012-02-04T22:49:00.002-05:00

You'd think after having two kids of my own I would be at pro at holding little babies. Not so. How easy it is to forget. The small people that inhibit my home are a far cry from this little creature. So petite and sweet and fragile and newborn smelling. I had the privilege of meeting my younger brother's daughter just 30 minutes after she was born. My sister lives in Orlando so I have never been able to meet one of my nephew/nieces in such a short time after they were born. It was quite the treat.

I cannot stress enough how proud of Sarah I am, and Josh for that matter. It was a pretty seamless birth and Sarah was able to get through it with no drugs. She was strong and had the support of her amazing husband and I just can't help but smile ear to ear when I think about it. Hope has some amazing parents that adore her. They have that new parent glow that's hard to miss and you can tell they simply adore her. She's in good hands.

As for the facts.. she was born on January 27th at 5:30pm. She weighed 7lbs, 14 ounces and was 18.5 inches long. Her name is Hope Luthien Toledo. Her middle name is from a Lord of the Rings book. If I am not mistaken, it is a Elvish princess and means "Enchantress". I can say she has enchanted me. I simply love her. And so do the kids. Livi calls her "Sope" and talks about her often even though she has only met her once. But there will be many more meetings in the future. You can count on it.

PS- She can give you a peace sign with her toes... true story....

Awesome Things Liam Says: Election Edition

2012-01-31T22:38:00.001-05:00

*Driving past some people waving Ron Paul signs*

Liam: "What are those people doing?"
Me: "Well, they have signs that say Ron Paul. He wants to be president and those people are letting everyone know how much they like him."
Liam: "Do you like him?"
Me: "I like Obama better."
Liam: "I like George Washington."

The Livi Show

2012-01-23T07:01:00.000-05:00

Yes, I am aware that I have another child. And he is very cute and I still adore/love him, but I need to get all of these videos of the second child out because she is in that fantastic stage where everything (sans breakdowns) that she does is adorable and cute and yummy and ADORABLE. Chris and I were just talking this weekend that it seems like she started getting older out of nowhere. So here is just a teeny glimpse of some of the ADORABLENESS that is Livi. SN: Please excuse the nasty stream of snot careening down her face in the first video. A bit of a cold that I can't seem to catch up with.

Just Another Weekend

2012-01-18T20:34:00.001-05:00

It's about 7 am when I feel the warm, morning breath from Liam on my face whisper "Mommy- it's daytime. Time to wake up." Not long after we hear Livi stirring so we bring them both into bed and hand them our phones as entertainment so we can steal a few more brief moments in our cozy bed. Soon Chris will have to get up to go to work as he does a couple of Saturdays out of the month and I will lazily drag myself into the playroom while the coffee brews. Livi can be found by the trail of books she always leaves in her wake and Liam will be inevitably be found with some sort of army guy/ superhero/ Star Wars character or a mixture thereof.

Rinse. Repeat. Rinse. Repeat. Sound boring? It's not. :)

Awesome Things Liam Says

2012-01-14T09:32:00.001-05:00

Liam: "You love coffee,huh?"
Me: " I do. Coffee is my favorite."
Liam: "You love wine and coffee. They are both your favorite. You drink it all the time. "

touché little man, touché

Cage-free and Free Range

2012-01-09T21:44:00.000-05:00

I've held out for so long with all the big kid things that are attached to becoming 2. She still uses her pacifier at bedtime, still in diapers and, until recently, was sleeping in her crib. The only reason I have given into this step was because a friend of mine is moving and was giving away her son's bed. Livi is ready for everything (except maybe giving up that damned pacifier), but it's been a combination of laziness and not wanting to let go that has held me back. And so here we are, one step closer to losing my baby. Her birthday is next month so I suppose I should get on those other things, but I don't wannnnaaaaa. And hello, how unfair is it that this toddler who could give a crap has perfect morning hair right after opening her eyes? I will tell you.. not fair AT ALL!

Who Says Kids Are Hard to Entertain?

2012-01-09T06:50:00.000-05:00

ABC's of Star Wars

2012-01-05T09:06:00.003-05:00

Happy New Year

2012-01-01T20:16:00.001-05:00

2011 turned out to be a pretty fantastic year for us. New job, new house, new school. Not sure about 2012, but if it's anything like last year we're in good shape. So Happy New Year everyone. We love you all to pieces.

Slackin

2011-12-26T21:59:00.000-05:00

I have been slacking on all accounts lately. Blogging, picture taking, sleeping. But last week, we did get some visitors. Aunt Amy and Uncle Ben came into town from LA for about 4 days. So much fun was had that it took at least a day of recovery for me. I think the kids are still recovering. Always great to see family and Uncle Ben was especially a hit with Liam who is still asking me when we will see him again. So sorry for the blurry pics and the delay in getting them up. New Years Resolution- be more on top of... well, everything. Let's see how that goes.

Christmas!

2011-12-26T20:57:00.000-05:00

My loves.

Stockings first, then breakfast.

It's always cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning.

Geaux Tigers

Sooo um yea, lemme just finish up here and then like, I can meet you at the mall.

All he talked about for the last month- his Shark Boat!

The Aftermath. And apparently that book was all I needed to get Livi.

BFF!

A Florida Christmas

Imma eat everyone of them.

4 Years Old

2011-12-20T13:37:00.000-05:00

Today my first born turns four years old. I know I can speak for Chris when I say that everyday, no matter how difficult they might sometimes be, is made better with him around. He can light up a room with his smile and make you laugh out loud. He seems so young, yet so old to me. He has the wisdom that little ones often possess. Simple insights into things that adults tend to complicate. He keeps us focused and happy.

So I just want to say a few words to future Liam. The one that will have his head clouded with things that adults need to think about...

Liam, I don't know what our relationship will be like in the coming years. I can only hope we can find common interests when you reach your teenage years and that you take advantage of the life experience that your Dad and I have had. There are few things you can do to disappoint me. All I ask is that you do your best at any task that is set before you and keep the people you love close by. Oh and try not to care about what everyone else is doing because I assure you that what they think doesn't matter. Take time to look around and always re-evaluate what is important. This is the point in the conversation where I refrain from calling you my little snuggle bug, but come on, we all know it.. you are.

Connected

2011-12-18T15:06:00.000-05:00

There is nothing that makes me happier than looking in my rear view mirror to find my son and daughter reaching out from their car seats to hold hands. These two have a special bond that I can only hope will carry on to the years ahead. The don't like to be apart and ask about the other one endlessly if they are.

Obviously, they have their moments, but I have to say there aren't too many of them. They look out for each other and share pretty well. Liam makes sure to explain things to Livi or sit with her at school if she doesn't want me to leave. Livi shares her food with Liam if she doesn't want any more and is interested in anything that he does. They just seem to get each other and enjoy each others company. Crossing my fingers that it sticks cause I hear sibling rivalry sucks!

Soooo Close

2011-12-13T23:18:00.003-05:00

She is so close she can taste it!

Look Who's Insisting on Jewelry Now

2011-12-12T20:29:00.000-05:00

Good Morning World

2011-12-07T08:27:00.001-05:00

A Star Wars Birthday

2011-12-04T22:37:00.001-05:00

Liam's "small" birthday party was so great and perfect that it made it all worth it. I made a point to invite a lot less people than I have in the past. I got a little worried that maybe it would be too few, but it really was perfect. Manageable and containable. You can do more when it's containable.

We had Jedi training for all of the padawans. They had to complete 3 steps before they were full-fledged Jedi's: Pin the Saber on Yoda, Light Saber Training and Defeat the Death Star. Of course we had an evil visitor drop in right in the middle of training, but have no fear- Jedi Liam is here! He defeated the dark Sith and took his light saber to continue his battle by destroying the Death Star. I wasn't sure how he would react to meeting Vader, but he was beyond thrilled! Thanks to Papa for setting that up with Vader's agent ;) Sorry the video is kinda crazy, but I was so focused on what was actually happening that the video leaves a bit to be desired.

Thanksgiving Weekend

2011-11-29T22:45:00.001-05:00

There is little I can say to accurately describe the thankfulness I have in my heart these days. Especially where family is concerned. Hopefully, this comes as no surprise. I can only hope that I have gushed about these fantastic people enough to make it known to them how much I love and appreciate them. This little getaway was about the best idea my dad has ever had and he and my mom made it happen. I know Liam and Livi are probably still too young to remember this in the distant future, but I don't think I ever will and I hope some version of this becomes some sort of a tradition.

Yes, the weather was great and the beach was FANTASTIC, but the memories for me came from just being with one another. The amount of love my parents have for my kids and Michelle's kids and Josh's future kid is so evident and amazing to witness. I'm a lucky, thankful girl.

Day one of death star piñata complete

2011-11-28T21:47:00.001-05:00

Why yes, my back IS killing me. Two more days of this and then the painting. I sure hope this works. This is what I hope to end up with.

Giving In

2011-11-19T21:01:00.001-05:00

Liam has NEVER owned any kind of G-U-N before. He earned some money and when we went to Target all he wanted to spend it on was this water gun. $2.50. All. He. Wanted. Was. This. Gun. I have resisted so much, but I finally gave in. It hit me that there was nothing I could do to stop him from loving the things and he may just want what he can't have more because it's being kept from him. So I said OK and you would have thought I handed him 100 lollipops. His face lit up and he couldn't wait to get it home and show Daddy when he got home from work. Funny thing is, Daddy was just as excited and ran out to get his own.

If giving in to a silly water gun produces fun times with family like this, I will do it over and over again.

The Sea Was Angry That Day, My Friends

2011-11-07T23:00:00.000-05:00

We had SUCH an amazing time this past weekend. The weather was fantastic and the company wasn't so bad either. We had breakfast by the beach and planned to take the kids to play in the sand afterward. When we got to the beach, we saw this. I have never seen so many waves at a South Florida beach. I didn't bring a change of clothes or even a towel because I figured it would be just cool enough to stay away from the water. Liam had other plans. He and Daddy had a blast running into and away from the waves. By the time we left, we was completely soaked but grinning from ear to ear.

Some other cute pics from the weekend... (Side note: every one of these pics was taken with my iPhone.. crazy, right?)

The Planning Has Begun...

2011-11-06T13:34:00.000-05:00

Like everything in life always does, Liam's bday party really snuck up on me. Yes, it is a month away, but we will be going out of town for the Thanksgiving holiday which means I have next weekend to get everything prepared. It also means I will spending nights up past my bedtime perusing the web for ideas and going overboard. But seriously, I am not gonna go crazy... seriously!

Boo- Happy Halloween!

2011-11-01T22:56:00.002-04:00

I am beginning to LOVE Halloween. I never really cared about it before. But man oh man is it fun with kids around. Especially now that Liam is at the age to get it. It's just so much fun!
If you can't tell, Liam is an army guy and Livi is Pebbles. We spent Halloween with our BFF's- the Matherly's. Liam and Cam were the leaders of the pack, running up to each house and screaming "Trick or Treat" while knocking repeatedly and shining flashlights into the windows. Luckily, Aunt Tina has some good spirited neighbors.

Livi was a trip. She spent a bit of time being chauffeured around in the stroller, but most of the time walking and carrying her own pumpkin. She insisted on not holding my hand and not letting me hold her pumpkin. By the end of the night, that pumpkin got pretty heavy, but she persisted in her independence.

Open House

2011-11-01T22:38:00.001-04:00

Last week we went to an open house at Liam and Livi's school. They go to a Montessori school and I have been thoroughly impressed with how much they have learned from this approach. They each get lessons everyday. There are different stations and each station has a different subject: Math, Science, English, sensory, etc. The kids each get a mat and the teacher gives them their name tag which they place on their mat before going to pick out whatever lesson they want.

Since we have 2 kids at the school, Chris and I had to split parenting duties. I went into Livi's class and he went into Liam's. This whole approach was amazing to watch for different reasons between the two of them. I couldn't believe how much of it Livi grasped. She knew exactly what to do and when to do it. Their lessons come on trays that they have to retrieve themselves, but when they aren't on trays... like say a bunch of building blocks... they have to bring them one by one. I saw Livi do both of these cause she did two different lessons and she didn't miss a beat. For Liam, it's amazing to me how a class of 15 3-5 year old's can be completely quiet and engrossed in what they are doing. Each on their own mat doing their own lesson.

I am happy to report that after a little investigating (aka- I asked the teachers), they are both doing well. Ms Kathy says Livi, although the youngest in her class, does better than a lot of the older kids and she can't believe how much she is talking. Ms Shareen says Liam is "a bit shy and sensitive" so she has to be careful how she speaks to him ( tell me about it..), but that he is lover and a sweetheart (tell me about it...).

If you're really bored, you can catch the rest of the open house videos (mostly Livi cause that's whose room I was in) here.

Chicken Pox

2011-10-30T21:01:00.000-04:00

Livi is prone to getting rashes easily for almost any reason. The other day she was eating a lollipop and a piece of it fell on her chin. It might have been there for five minutes and it left a red rash for a couple of hours. So when the daycare called me on Thursday to tell me she had a rash, I wasn't at all concerned. I didn't even make it a point to look at it until I got her into the bathtub. But obviously, this was no normal rash.

Even though Livi had been vaccinated, she ended up with Chicken Pox. Luckily, the doctor said that the chicken pox you get after you have been vaccinated is a far different one than those who get it and haven't been vaccinated. These spots on her belly were the only ones she got and I never saw her scratch at them once. So Livi and I got the day off together. We both have had a cold and needed the rest anyway. The doc said she could go back to school on Monday and the spots are already fading away. Now we just have to cross our fingers that Liam and Daddy steered clear of it.

"Fall"

2011-10-27T22:04:00.001-04:00

BAHAHAHA

2011-10-20T20:32:00.000-04:00

Helloooo?!?! I have cute kids. Very photogenic and gorgeous kids. Granted they have a thing against being photographed by actual photographers but how hard do you have to try to get pics like these of my kids? Liam looks so completely unamused that it's uncomfortable to look at. And I have the inside scoop that the one pic of him that is decent is due to the teacher offering him candy corn.

And Livi... don't even get me started. The teacher tried the whole candy corn thing on her, but Livi don't play that. If she wants to be mad, she will be mad damnit! Apparently, she "didn't like the photographer". Well, Livi, that makes two of us. Anyway, I have never been a fan of the obligatory holiday pics anyway. You should have seen some of the other pics of the kids with their hands in a prayer position up to their face.. gag me with a spoon. I wanted to order some of these purely for the fact that they are, in there own right, kinda ironically awesome. However, I am not paying $15 a photo for something like this when I can just steal it off their site and put it on my blog... shhhh...

"Let's Play Parade"

2011-10-19T22:37:00.004-04:00

Dress up parade time somehow always ends up with Mommy dressing like a ballerina and getting chased around by a couple of pirates and/or clone troopers.

Hi Wivi: An Update

2011-10-19T07:22:00.000-04:00

I found out after this video that Livi can count from 3-9 all by herself. I don't know why she chooses to skip over 1 and 2. She also mostly sings the alphabet. My favorite part is "L M N O P" cause she says "ELMO P". I have been trying for a couple of months to get it recorded, but of course I never catch it.

She also just started saying her own name which she pronounces as "Wivi".She is really into role playing. She likes to pretend to cook me dinner and make tea for her stuffed animals. She likes undressing and dressing her babies and strolling them around the house.

She also likes to do only what she likes to do. The force is strong with this one. She is extremely laid back, but if you don't give her what she wants she will throw a fit. She does this thing where she likes to act like a drunk rockstar in a hotel room. She will throw whatever is in her path across the room and then look at you like "Yea, I just did that. Wanna see what else I can do?". It's actually a pretty amazing thing to witness.

Should I stay or should I go?

2011-10-16T14:08:00.001-04:00

Eeek! Liam got this beauty last night at a friend's birthday party. He and his friends were acting like little monkeys jumping on the bed. Wouldn't you know it? One of them bumped their head. We struggled with whether we should take him to the hospital. The cut isn't big enough for stitches, but we were more worried about a concussion. He seemed to be with it and since he didn't fall of the bed (he hit his head on the bed frame), we decided against it. Instead we kept him up to see if got dizzy, threw up or complained of a headache.

And just cause he is a good daddy, Chris opened up the couch into a bed and slept with him for good measure. This morning, the swelling went down and he hasn't complained about it once. Crisis averted.

My Shining Star

2011-10-11T17:29:00.002-04:00

I am so excited about Liam's development. Besides the fact that his puzzle skills better than mine, he has picked up on writing and drawing incredibly fast. Granted, I have NOTHING to compare this to. But I see how he went from knowing his letters to writing them and sounding out words and it's pretty astounding. He's also starting to color in the lines now which is a welcome change. I can only gloat over scribbles for so long before it becomes obvious that I am just not impressed. ha. His letters are even staying within the lines. For a while they would start out that way and end up taking up the whole page. He can spell and kinda write his first and last name.

This week Liam was "Star of the Week" at school. Don't be too impressed. Every kid gets a week and it was just his turn! We had to fill out a questionnaire so the class could get to know him better. Among my favorite answers:
My favorite food is Gummies .
When I grow up I want to be a ninja and a clone trooper.
You have no idea how hard I tried to get him to pick a real profession. "Yea, but what job do you want to have? A fire fighter? A boat captain? Wouldn't it be cool if you could work in a zoo all day?"
I got a crinkled up face and a "MoOOooOooOm, I wannnnaaa be a ninja and a clone trooper!"

Everglades

2011-10-09T22:06:00.000-04:00

You know I have always been a believer that you should experience the place you live at some point like a tourist would if they were visiting. For Pete's sake, someone who doesn't even live here should not know more about it than you.. a native! But it took a Living Social voucher (a nearly expired one) to get our butts out to the Everglades. Shame on us!

So glad that we did. The weather almost prevented us, but ended up helping us. The rain mostly stayed away and made it cool and overcast. Also kept the crowds away save for a German tour group and a family from somewhere in the midwest. I was afraid the kids might be terrified but they had a great time. It took about half the airboat ride for Livi to get over having a life preserver on, but once she accepted it she was happy as a clam.

Isn't Life Grand?

2011-09-26T22:43:00.002-04:00

Do you remember what it was like to have a gay old time with an old water bottle in the bath tub? Like everything else in the world is just fine as long as you can see the bubbles as your bottle fills up and can dump out all the water from the bottle and do it again. I sure don't, but that's ok- I have someone around that reminds me. She's alot of work, but when I watch her play it brings me back to simpler days and reminds me what life is all about. Plus she's cute to look at.

Daddy's Home!

2011-09-26T12:35:00.001-04:00

And he brought us presents!

Happy Birthday Daddy!

2011-09-17T20:45:00.000-04:00

Daddy might be in New Orleans celebrating, but we wanted to make sure he knew we were celebrating back home too. Happy 40th, we love you! Geaux Saints!

Awesome Things Liam Says

2011-09-15T22:42:00.001-04:00

Liam: (looking over at Livi after we talked about him being a big brother) I am upper-case and she is lower-case.

I love them like Livi loves Nutella

2011-09-12T22:24:00.001-04:00

How have I never given my kids Nutella before? Not sure, but over the weekend they tried it and my oh my... I think they liked it. Oh and yes, Livi did get an outfit change shortly after. But in true Liam fashion, he ran to the bathroom to wash his hands about every other bite so he was just fine. Scroll all the way down to check out Livi's "Frida Kahlo" look.

Entitlements and Examples

2011-09-10T22:21:00.000-04:00

Liam is getting to that age where he feels entitled to things. Part of me wonders how he could be so audacious, but then I remember back to my childhood. You know that saying "You don't know how good you had it until it's gone". That pretty much sums up the whole kid thing. When you are a kid, you have no idea the sacrifices your parents make to give you the things you need. That's just the way it is. They aren't people, they are like supreme beings whose sole purpose is to provide, protect and care for you. And that's that.

I don't remember the event that did it, but I do remember distinctly realizing that my parents were, in fact, human. I remember understanding that if I wanted something, they most likely had to give up something on their end to give it to me. And it's not until I had my own kids that this realization kicked into high gear. Then you start thinking wayyyyy back to all the times your parents must have sacrificed and how they did it. Once you realize that, you understand how much love and humility is involved in being a parent. I think that is what drives me to be a good mom and wife. I have excellent examples to follow and hopefully it will make my kids follow my example.

Break My Heart

2011-09-03T21:13:00.002-04:00

Tonight I heard Liam's door open up about an hour after we put him to sleep. He was particularly hyper tonight so I was about to lay into him that he needed to just go to sleep already when I saw his face. The saddest little face you have ever seen.

Liam: I don't want to go into the world, Mommy. I want to stay here.
Me: What do you mean sweetie? What happened?
Liam: I want to stay in my bed forever. I don't want to go into the world. I don't want to see the strange men again.

And at this point I am sorta freaking out wondering who these strange men are and how I am going to find them so I can kick their asses. That is until the next sentence when it all clicked what he was talking about.

Liam: I don't want to see those strange men in the restaurant again. I don't like them. They were mean to me.
Me: (Lightbulb goes off) Oh! You mean those men in the posters from the restaurant? Did you have a bad dream?

Let me interject by saying that we went to Zona Fresco tonight which is a great, little burrito joint that has all these posters of old Mexican movies. The same actor is in all of them and they are all cartoonish and the guy makes some strange and silly faces. I can see why it would freak him out. I had no idea that he was so freaked out that he would dream about them.

Liam: (nods his head with his lower lip sticking out about to cry)
Me: It's ok honey, I am right here. Those guys aren't real- it is just a picture. It's pretend.
Liam: oh.

At that point I got him back into bed and rubbed his back and we talked about all the things he liked. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Star Wars, Transformers. Hopefully, this time around he will dream of Luke Skywalker and Donatello the Ninja Turtle saving us all from the evil Decepticons. Goodbye Zona Fresco, it was nice while it lasted.

Pinch Me Please

2011-08-30T21:38:00.004-04:00

I am sitting here in my new house completely exhausted and surrounded by boxes. I have been going non-stop for god knows how long. Every bone in my body is telling me to get up and unpack, but I also know that everyone needs a night off to do nothing and relax. My body will thank me for it in the end. And as tired and overwhelmed as I am, all I can think is how lucky I am. I mean really, I adore my family, I love my job, and my new house is the bee's knees.

We are not used to everything going so well. Part of me thinks it's finally our time to shine, but most of me is cautious that it could change at any minute. So for now, I am enjoying every second of it. And for those of you who keep asking, I PROMISE that pics of the new house are coming soon.

18 Month Update

2011-08-18T20:58:00.003-04:00

And the award for Ms Comprehensive goes to... My little one and a half year old. I had forgotten how fun this age is. Livi delights in communicating. She is speaking really well and as my dad says, with conviction. She understands so much and can say things like "Where daddy go?", "lemme see", apple, cookie, Mickey Mouse, eat, all done, down, up, and more. My favorite is when she calls for Liam it sounds like "EEEAAAA".

She can climb up onto the couch by herself and is constantly getting into the cabinet and helping herself to food. I think she has a little more girly in her than I originally thought. She has been gravitating towards Liam's Ariel and Jesse dolls lately. Other things she loves: bothering her brother, dancing like there is no tomorrow, eating, mommy, her ducky, and baths. Chris taught her to kick her legs in the water and so she immediately gets on her belly in that bath and says "kick kick kick" and kicks her little pudgy legs. She like to pick up her ducky and kick his legs too.

There is nothing more I can say about her that I haven't said ONE MILLION times before. She is utterly delightful. You simply cannot be around her without smiling and feeling a bit of a high. She is like a rockstar at school. When I walk her out at pickup, every single teacher and kid says goodbye to her and gives her hugs and she waves goodbye like a princess on a parade float.

Madness

2011-08-17T22:06:00.002-04:00

The past few weeks have been a blur. I vaguely remember bidding on a house, getting settled into a new job, doing a crapload of freelance and packing the majority of our belongings. Still not sure I have really let it sink in that tomorrow we will be closing on a house- a frickin house! But we are and please don't take all that as complaining. I am happier than a pig in... well, you know... When 9% of the country is struggling to find employment and falling on rough times, we are able to not only be employed but invest in our future with a HOUSE! I am so thankful and a bit dazed at how quickly it all has happened.

3.7 years

2011-08-08T22:19:00.003-04:00

It's been a crazy, busy month. I realized I haven't updated about my eldest lately and so here we are. There are few adjectives I can think of that can accurately describe this little man but I am going to try: ambitious, bright, sweet, thoughtful, crazy... did I mention bright? Maybe it comes with the age, but my little guy has just blossomed lately. He has perfected speaking and is now moving on to inflection. He really takes in everything he hears and tries to repeat what he hears with just the right amount of inflection and it is pretty much the cutest thing you will ever hear.

He is also perfecting the puzzle. He takes such delight in completing them on his own and I am, for some reason, pleasantly surprised every time he does so. He can write his letters and is starting to grasp how different letters go together. He knows every Star Wars character ever created. I am hoping he will be still be into it by December because that would make a kick-ass bday party. Something tells me there is a good chance of that happening.

Besides being thoughtful and always willing to help out his momma, he is also an AMAZING big brother. He is so careful not to go too far with Livi, but they have been having so much fun rough-housing and playing with each other lately. He somehow knows how much he can push the envelope without really hurting her. Of course sometimes, the envelope does get pushed just a little too far, but for the most part he takes care of her.

As much as he loves his friends, most days he would rather be inside playing with the toys while they are in the pool. I see him growing up with the computer and being a little nerd (like his mommy) so I have to be careful and expose him to as much physical activity while I can.

Awesome Things Liam Says

2011-07-29T21:26:00.002-04:00

Overheard the other morning over the monitor as I was getting out of the shower
Livi: (starting to moan and cry)
Liam: "It's ok Livi. I'm right here. You don't have to cry. Mommy will be here in a minute, little girl."
*... And the best, big brother award goes to...*

Milililily Falcon

2011-07-24T21:35:00.001-04:00

Neighborly Love

2011-07-18T21:56:00.002-04:00

A couple of months ago, my best friend moved about 2 minutes away from me. Apart from the year we were roommates, we have never lived so close to one another. Not only does she live so close, but she has a house with a pool! It means everything to me that we get to have our kids hang out with each other the way that Tina and I did. I spent practically every Summer weekend in her pool growing up. When we started looking for a house, I was praying that we would find a decent one in our price range that was still close by. Turns out, we will be even closer to her than we are now.

By the way, last Saturday after a day outside with the kids in her pool, I left her house with one less child. That's right... Liam had his first sleepover with his buddies. It's true that he had a bit of a sleepover hangover the next day, but the stories of Tina busting the boys playing with their lightsabers when they should have been sleeping made it allllll worth it.

Sunday Morning

2011-07-10T22:23:00.006-04:00

I have the pleasure of spending most Sunday mornings with my kids and hubby in my favorite place of all- my bed. It's a lazy way to start the day, but it's the best 20 minutes or so of my whole week. They make each other laugh and inevitably it ends abruptly with someone landing on someone else or getting hungry, but for those few, delicious minutes... I am in seventh heaven.

Freckles

2011-07-04T21:53:00.004-04:00

I can hardly take it. When my big boy got out of the pool yesterday and I was drying his face, I did a double take. What are those spots on your face? Liam grabbed the towel and started rubbing his face. After I convinced him it wasn't anything bad, I stared at his face for at least 2 minutes. I never realized that freckles could grow on you. And these little dots on his face just make him look so much like a boy. Even though he hasn't been a baby for sometime now, it seems like he has been completely letting go of any teeny bit of toddler he had left in him. These are like stamps that make it official.. officially a boy. And anything that follows in Daddy footsteps makes him a happy camper so Daddy was all smiles with this discovery.

P.S.- It also seems like you can only view these freckles by clicking on the picture and seeing the higher resolution. Blogger like to make the pics blurry for some reason.

Happy Fourth of July!

2011-07-04T21:50:00.004-04:00

Music Man...errrr...Girl

2011-06-30T21:12:00.001-04:00

Beach Day!!

2011-06-26T22:31:00.002-04:00

It's Getting Worse

2011-06-25T12:53:00.002-04:00

I really didn't expect this obsession to last as long as it has. So bizarre to me considering he has never seen the movies. Yet he can tell you that Anakin is Darth Vader when he was younger, before he was evil. His favorite character is Boba Fett. And I swear to you that he has gone as far as giving us all names from Star Wars and now refers to us by those names. Daddy is Jengo Fett, I am Princess Leia and Livi is R2-D2. When we came home today from Aunt Tina's house (thanks for the mask btw!), he literally asked me if "Jengo was home yet".

New Lens

2011-06-23T21:40:00.004-04:00

Guess what I got for my birthday? A new lens! Thanks honey. I l-o-v-e it, but I haven't really been able to go crazy with it just yet. We are planning a family outing to the beach this weekend so hopefully I will get a bunch of awesome pics. Here are a few we have taken so far. You can see how much more detail you get with this lens. Sometimes too much. Every little blemish you have shows up... eeek!

Happy Father's Day

2011-06-19T21:42:00.001-04:00

Monkey Infestation

2011-06-18T14:10:00.002-04:00

I think I have a monkey infestation. At approximately 6:00 am this morning, when everyone else was asleep, I witnessed a small, female monkey make her way over to the cupboard, pull out the crackers and go to town. I wanted to stop her, but it's not often you get to observe these creatures and I didn't want to scare her away. Although this may mean I need to lock up the food so the infestation doesn't get any worse.

Time to do the Laundry

2011-06-14T21:49:00.003-04:00

Not sure how I forgot to post this when it happened. A few weeks ago, Jordanna called me up at work and said "Don't be mad. Check your email." And this is what I saw. How can I be mad at that? Cute kid and soapy suds. That's a win-win as far as I'm concerned. Those are the kinda things I will definitely miss. For some reason they are not big on taking photos of kids in washing machines at her new school. Boooo.

New School

2011-06-13T22:12:00.003-04:00

A sigh of relief from mom. The kids have adjusted to the new school smashingly! Liam asks me every morning if we are going back to the new school and when I say yes, he gets all excited. One day he even said, "Thanks for letting me go to the new school, Mom". Uhhh, sure honey. When I called at lunch time to see how he was faring, his teacher told me he was doing great and was currently talking to his friends on the playground about Star Wars :)

I used to work in a summer camp and there was always one kid that had to sit next to me when we were on the playground or on my lap when we watched a movie. Well, it appears my Livi is THAT child. Every time I pick her up, she is next to or sitting on her teacher. All of the teachers (from every class) tell me how cute and well behaved she is and that tells me she is enjoying herself. Cause if there is one thing I know about Livi, it's that she lets her discontent be known to all.

End of an Era

2011-06-05T22:10:00.004-04:00

Lots of changes goin' on in these here parts lately. After almost 5 years with the same company, I am starting a new job tomorrow. It's a weird feeling. As many opinions as I have of my former employers, the fact remains that I learned sooo much there and was so comfortable there. I was a veteran of sorts and leaving there is like leaving my parents to go to college. I'm feelin all grown up now. I'm not the only one growing up.

My little chickens are also in for a big change tomorrow. After 3 years with Ms Jordanna, they are starting at a Montessori school. It's a completely different environment. They have classrooms and won't be with each other all day. I'm just glad this change happened after Livi's first year. I am ok with it now, but I am a big believer that babies should be in a home environment if possible for the first year. Liam is really excited, but I am not sure if he really understands that he won't be with Livi. We've talked about it and he knows, but I think the feeling of missing her not being around might surprise him.

At any rate, there is no replacing Jordanna. And I don't intend to. This is just the next step in their development. It's happening a little earlier for Livi, but she is tougher than Liam and I think she will handle it just fine. Funny how things just work out that way.

Cast-less

2011-06-05T21:48:00.003-04:00

Three weeks came and went. Last Thursday we got Ms Liv's cast off. I was so nervous because I knew they would use a saw to get it off and I could just picture myself pinning down a flailing toddler. And she is strong. But lo and behold, she thought it was the coolest thing she had ever seen. She was thoroughly entertained my the loud buzzing noise and didn't flinch a muscle. Once it came off, she just rotated her wrist around. She giggled when I scratched her newly released arm and that was that.

Since then, it seems she has lost complete interest in her thumb. She still wants the pacifier at night and cries so hard it leads to hyperventilating if she doesn't get it. So for now, I will give in. She also seems to be a bit ambidextrous as a result of this cast. She was always using her left hand for things, but she is more likely to go for a pen or fork with her right hand now. Only time will tell if this will stick. All in all, the whole thing was low drama- just the way I like it.

Smile at the Nighttime Moon

2011-06-04T09:38:00.002-04:00

Yes, I am in my pajamas. Yes, my house is a mess. Yes, this video is blurry. Yes, I ADORE my family.

School Pics

2011-06-01T07:28:00.002-04:00

Here are some of the pics that came out of picture day at Jordanna's. Man, I have some good looking kids. Liam is so photogenic. Unfortunately, Livi was sick this day. I brought her in just for pics and then took her home so she was not in the mood. I need help deciding which one of the 2 of them I should get. Any opinions?

Awesome Things Liam Says

2011-05-25T21:43:00.001-04:00

Overheard tonight from the upstairs bedroom:
Daddy: "Who is your favorite princess?"
Liam: "Mommy!"

15 Month Update

2011-05-22T21:29:00.005-04:00

I talk a lot about Livi's ability to make people's heart melt, but I just want to emphasize how crazy adorable she is ONE more time. It's hard to explain it in words or even with pictures. And it's not only her natural beauty, it's the expressions she gives and the smiles she flashes at just the right time. She is definitely getting how to use this to her advantage. And if you somehow get through that and tell her "no", you get such a little temper. I honestly find myself asking if it's worth the fight I am going to get to say no to her. She will flail her body around and yell at you and then look up at you as if to say "How dare you, don't you know who I am?"

As of a couple of weeks ago, she weighed 24 pounds, 2 ounces and was 31.5 inches tall. She has a couple more weeks to go before the cast comes off and she has really started getting used to life with it. New words include "flower" "whassis (what's this?)" and "monkey".

Day At The Park

2011-05-22T21:07:00.003-04:00

It's been so long since I took the kids to the park, so we drove on over yesterday. Let's just say we won't be back any time soon. I just can't believe how ridiculously hot it was already. It had to be somewhere in the 90's and the air was so dense with all the humidity. The kids still had a good time.

^ This was Liam being a peeping tom. There were some girls having a little picnic under the playground and Liam spent too much time staring at them through the holes in the floor. Occasionally, one of the girls would look up and say "He's still looking at us". Eventually, they ended up running after each other. My little flirt on the playground.

It's a Boy Thing

2011-05-17T22:07:00.000-04:00

I always heard that boys just knew what a gun was regardless of their upbringing, but I never quite believed it until I had my own boy. I am here to tell you this is a true statement. I think we have done a good job of keeping him away from violent television. We don't watch anything when he is awake, save for the random kids show after naptime. He isn't allowed to have "shooters" as toys. I even find myself changing NPR when they start talking about the war and people dying. Yet time after time, Liam insists on pretending that every single thing that he picks up is a gun. Sandwiches, hockey sticks, baseball bats- they all become guns. I don't stop him from playing with other kids' gun toys or even from pretending his own toys are guns. I figure the more I fight it, the more he will want to do it. But when he asks if I want to play shooters with him, I politely tell him "No thank you. I don't really like shooters".

The problem I have with guns is the way violence is so prominently displayed in media. I don't want him to think of it as "normal" behavior. And believe me, you are not even aware of how overtly violent media is until you have kids and are trying to avoid it. I don't want to censor him from this stuff, I just don't think a 3 year old is ready to have a conversation about guns and death and murder. Call me crazy.

I felt alot better about the whole thing after I had a conversation with him on the topic. It went a little something like this...
Liam (pretending his army guys are shooting)
Me: Liam, what do you think happens when your army guys are shooting?
Liam: The monsters are there and they shoot the monsters
Me: And what happens to the monsters when the army guys shoot them?
Liam: They get a boo-boo and go away
Me: Why are they shooting the monsters?
Liam: Because they are bad guys.
Me: So the army guys shoot the monsters because they are bad. And then the monsters get a boo-boo and go away?
Liam: Yea, but then they go to the doctor and they are all better.

I don't know why this made me feel better. Maybe because he didn't use the "kill" or "die" words. Or because even though the monsters were bad, he still made a point to tell me they were gonna be ok. It's just hard to remember that he is 3 and he doesn't understand the scope of what a gun is just yet. In the meantime, there isn't much I can do but show my distaste for the things and hope he catches on. Yea I know, fat chance.

A Good Weekend

2011-05-15T21:17:00.003-04:00

A good weekend by my definition consists of two thing: fun and practicality. The first one doesn't need any explanation. I mean who doesn't love to have some fun on the weekend, amiright? But the second one is one most moms can relate to. If I can get a few hours to clean, get groceries, plan meals and start cooking for the week- I know that upcoming week will be a lot less stressful. That's alot to pack into one weekend which is why time seems to fly so fast.

This past weekend happened to be a fantastic one. Not only did we get to do some fun stuff with the kids, but I also got the week's meals planned and started AND got a yoga class in. None of this would be possible, by the way, if it weren't for my fantastic hubby helping me along the way. He also got to go to the gym and bake some biscotti. So overall, a balanced and fulfilling weekend. Now on to Monday... booo...

Uh-oh

2011-05-11T21:37:00.000-04:00

Let me just start by saying that a cast on an almost 15 month old is the cutest/saddest thing ever. She fell on Tuesday night, but a normal fall. She was screaming and grabbing at her arm. We just figured it was bruised a little, but when she kept grabbing at it the second day I figured we should take her in. Fast forward through various doctor offices, hospitals, and x-rays and it ends up she has a buckle fracture on her left forearm and needs a cast.

I cannot explain to you how amazing she was all day long. I was constantly getting her in and out of her carseat. She didn't get her normal nap. I had to fill out oodles of paperwork. Through it all, she was all smiles. She visited every single person in every single waiting room we visited today and she did it with a grin. I guarantee she made a few people's day and that is the magic of Livi. :)

The downside of it all, the very HUGE downside is that she can't reach her thumb. This is bad, this is sooo bad. Imagine Batman without Robin, ok that's not actually that hard to do. The point here is that she relies heavily on that thumb to soothe her. If tonight was any indication, the next three weeks are gonna SUCK!

Happy Mothers Day

2011-05-08T21:03:00.003-04:00

Being a mom is hard, there's nothing easy about it. But it's also a privilege. There isn't a day that goes by that I am not eternally grateful that these 2 little people are in my life. I love them with all of my heart and I am running out of adjectives to use to describe the feelings I have for them. They are the sun and the moon and everything in between and I can't remember life without them. So Mothers Day is great and everything, but it's them I should be thanking for picking me. I am the luckiest mommy ever.

Books We're Reading

2011-05-06T22:00:00.004-04:00

Liam is such a fan of books. He is a happy camper in the car as long as he has a stack of books next to him. We read 2 books every single night before bedtime. These are a few of the books that are popular in the household right now.

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
This book is fabulous. Kama got it for him and it brings back so many memories for me. My brother had this whole thing memorized and performed it for some kind of competition when we were growing up. Every time we read it, it reminds me of Josh. And how can you not love a kid whose idea of escaping his problems is to move to Australia?

Green Eggs and Ham
Liam loves Dr Seuss books. The Cat In The Hat has always been a personal favorite for him, along with Horton. I have been meaning to get this classic for some time now, but Nana beat me to it and got it for him for Easter. I have to admit that I am not sure who loves it more, me or him.

I Love You Stinky Face
This one has been around for a long time, but always finds its way back into rotation. This is a book that Liam and I share together. He will tell you it's my favorite. It's a great little story about a boy who asks his mom if she would still love him if he "were a big, scary ape" to which she replies "If you were a big, scary ape, I would make your birthday cake out of bananas, and I would tell you, 'I love you, my big, scary ape.'" There is nothing better than snuggling with my little guy in my bed and reading this to him while he giggles next to me. The last lines of the book say it all. "I love you Mama" " And I love you, my wonderful child"

AHOY!

2011-05-03T22:55:00.002-04:00

OMG- we were so excited when we found out that there was a new Disney Junior Show that featured Liam's new favorite show "Jake and the Neverland Pirates". How happy is this kid?

Disney-Day 3

2011-05-03T22:36:00.005-04:00

Day 2 was spent recovering, hanging out at our cool hotel and visiting Downtown Disney. On day 3, we spent the first half of the day at Hollywood Studios and then back to the hotel for a nap. Then BACK to Epcot for some fireworks! And that is the beauty of a hotel by the parks. The nap made all the difference and we were so close that it was no big deal to leave and come back. I am looking at these photos and noticing a lot more posing than usual. Please excuse me as I indulge in the obligatory Disney poses, but these are too cute not to post.

Disney- Day 1

2011-04-30T22:18:00.000-04:00

This is our last trip to Disney for a while- at least a couple of years. It's the last weekend we can use our annual passes and to be honest I don't see us spending this kind of money again until these kids can both thoroughly enjoy it. So we decided to do it right. I used some freelance money to book an honest to goodness hotel and we took Monday and Tuesday off. I guess we can call this our vacation.

There were some unforeseen bumps in the road which caused us to get to the hotel late which meant the kids didn't get to bed until almost 11. Yet they still found the energy to wake up at 6:30 the next morning?!? Surprisingly, this didn't cause much grouchiness today. Everything was awesome. The weather was amazing. The parks were pretty slow. Liam had a lot more fun than ever before because of the obvious reason that he is older and can grasp more. Oh and NO NURSING!!! That always makes for a much more pleasant Disney adventure.

Easter

2011-04-25T22:27:00.005-04:00

Done With Diplomacy

2011-04-22T18:01:00.004-04:00

This just cracked me up. Chris was randomly taping Liam with his phone because he thought he was playing so cute with his toys and then.. "We are done with diplomacy"!?!?! Did he just say what I think he said? I didn't believe it myself at first, but luckily we have the tape to prove it. Where the heck did he hear this? I still don't know. NPR maybe? One thing is for sure, this kid rules with an iron fist. As Kama said, maybe we should send him to Libya.

14 Month Update

2011-04-19T22:17:00.004-04:00

Livi's walking has really improved in the last month. She is falling a lot less and is really zipping around the house. Lots of babbling lately too. I love that phase where they can have full conversations with you, but not a single intelligible word is spoken. She calls most things either "baby", "daddy" or "duck". Although she did learn the word "doggie" this month and has shown an absolute adoration for them. I've seen babies that get spooked by dogs, but she just loves everything about them.

Her hair is almost long enough to tuck behind her ear which is good since she won't keep a clip in it for over .5 seconds. If you haven't already gathered, she isn't the girliest of girls and that is just fine with me. She loves to play with balls and gravitates towards cars. That might also be because that's what you get when you have an older brother. Kama had made her a tutu for her birthday and she growled and tugged at it until we took it off. So something tells me she won't be dressing up like a princess when she gets a little older.

She loves to laugh and has this amazing, husky laugh that just makes you light up inside when you hear it. She is charming and fantastic and I just adore her. Oh and she is doughy, so delightfully doughy. Like the Pillsbury Doughboy. I constantly want to nuzzle my nose into that crease where her head meets her shoulders... ya know, where you would find a neck on most other people. We just like her so much.

One Day Soon

2011-04-17T22:34:00.002-04:00

Now that Liam is old enough to understand holidays a little better, it's a lot harder to get things by him. Every store we walk into has Easter paraphernalia littering the entryway so it's natural for him to want to know about the holiday. I try to explain it the best I can, but all he hears is basket full of goodies and all he wants to know is "when". Every morning for the last two weeks has been started with the question "Today is Easter?".

Although he might be old enough to "get" the special occasion, he is definitely NOT old enough to understand the time frame or the fact that we have to wait until a certain day. I am sure he thinks I am just making him wait as some sort of evil, twisted game. You know how depraved us mommies can be. But in all reality it will be here before ya know it. Hare and gone.. get it.. hare.. ok, ok.. maybe I am a bit depraved...

This Made Liam's Day

2011-04-12T20:28:00.002-04:00

Lion Country Safari

2011-04-10T21:52:00.001-04:00

Ever Wonder...

2011-04-10T21:31:00.002-04:00

... why every picture of her seems to show her hair in her eyes? Well, this is why.

Star Wars

2011-04-04T20:57:00.003-04:00

It started with a sweatshirt. Evan left his Star Wars sweater at our house and Liam asked me about it. "Can you talk about Star Wars?" And so it began. I started explaining the different characters from the movie and he was enthralled. He wanted to hear about it over and over again. Obviously, he isn't old enough to watch the actual Star Wars, but he will watch the Lego version over and over again. "I don't like Jar Jar Beans Mommy" " Nobody does honey".

Now he has a couple Star Wars toys and loves to listen to the soundtrack from the movie on Daddy's phone. He's hooked and we can't wait until the day he gets to watch the real deal. Move over Buzz Lightyear, Darth Vader is in town.

Beach

2011-04-02T22:20:00.002-04:00

Awesome Things Liam Says

2011-04-01T20:31:00.003-04:00

Liam: Mommy, when I get home can I play outside with Daddy?

Me: Well, Daddy is not really feeling so well right now.

Liam: When I get home, I am going to give him lots of hugs and a tissue and make him blow his nose and then he can play outside? Then he will feel better?

School Pics

2011-03-31T22:00:00.004-04:00

and Livi's first time with the big kids in circle time!

Be Jealous

2011-03-30T22:57:00.002-04:00

Besides being an amazing grandma who smothers her grandkids with affection, our Kama has an amazing talent to make the cutest things you have ever seen. She will tell you that she just copies other people. But I know that it takes a keen eye to put different types of material together the way she does. All I have to do is casually send her a link to a blog or etsy post and say how cute it would be for one of the kids and you can bet the next weekend, I will have one way cuter than what I found online. There have been countless times that friends have asked me where I got something and reply with "I should have known" when I tell them. These are the latest additions to the kids wardrobe. Dinosaur tails? Doesn't get much cuter.

Last, Last Weekend

2011-03-30T22:49:00.002-04:00

It's been a crazy busy week for Momma O so I am a bit behind on blogging. Here are some pics from our fun weekend.. a couple of weekends ago. We used our Christmas present from Nana and took a trip to the Museum of Science and Discovery with Athena and the boys. And on Sunday was an amazing homemade sushi dinner for my dad's birthday compliments of Josh and Sara.

The Next Level

2011-03-21T22:30:00.005-04:00

You get so used to having babies who depend on YOU and play with YOU. The fact that they will eventually experience things that don't involve you is like a far off thought somewhere in the distance, something you don't have to worry about for now. Until the day your best friend says "It's going to be so cute when we can have sleepovers with the boys. When do you think Liam will be old enough to come sleepover?" And then it hits you that the answer is... now. I have a child who is old enough to go over his friends house, stay up, watch movies, eat ice cream and laugh with his friends. And although the thought is sort of shocking to me, it's also something I have been waiting for. The older he gets, the more we get to enjoy things with him that he previously didn't understand. So I relish in watching him play with the neighborhood kids or in planning an outing with his friends because I know it's a blast for him. And I know (for now anyway) that he can't wait to come home and tell mommy all about it.

13 Month Update

2011-03-18T05:39:00.000-04:00

So it's been occasional steps here and there until just the past couple of days. And yesterday, a switch went on upstairs and she just started walking all over the place. The funny thing is, I don't really have any shoes that fit her yet. So you know what we will be doing this weekend. It's great seeing her gain confidence and being proud of herself. She gets a kick out of it.

She is really into pointing and grunting at things lately. This usually means she wants whatever you have and she wants it now. She is also in that fun stage where she wants to open up all the cupboards and take everything out from inside.

She eats every vegetable, fruit, meat, bread... any food known to man. I never have any problems with her appetite and I am hoping that Liam will jump on the bandwagon. Believe it or not, she is thinning out (by Livi standards) and I can see the rolls slowly starting to dissolve. I am still nursing in the mornings, but that will soon come to an end.

She shakes her head yes or no to answer a question. She says "mmmm", "more", "baby" and "ajdsfbaiugasdbfay".

I can count to 20!

2011-03-15T22:19:00.001-04:00

Tea Time with Daddy

2011-03-10T21:49:00.000-05:00

School Pics

2011-03-09T21:13:00.003-05:00

Another Addition!

2011-03-06T22:25:00.002-05:00

Babies are popping out all over the place! The newest addition to our ever expanding family is Avery Elaine. Such a pretty, little thing with a cute name to boot. Kristy is a natural mom, which is no surprise. Avery joined us on her due date, March 1st and we are glad to have her.

Fun in the Sun

2011-03-06T22:17:00.002-05:00

This is one of the only times of the year I can truthfully say I am happy to be a Floridian. While reports of insane snowstorms are coming from up North, we are in our shorts and tank tops. I can't imagine how families with small children do it. Keeping kids inside for one day sucks, but weeks at a time? No thank you.

Family Reunion

2011-02-20T22:09:00.000-05:00

We had a family reunion of sorts that coincided with Livi's birthday which happens to be Isabel's birthday too. Such a great time catching up with family that came from Minnesota, Connecticut, Michigan and even Coral Gables :) I sure do like these people.

Livi's Pah-tay

2011-02-20T22:00:00.005-05:00

One Year Update

2011-02-17T21:02:00.004-05:00

So I guess this is it. I have no more babies- only a toddler and a preschooler. And now I am staring at this computer screen with tears welling up in my eyes not knowing what to write because as soon as I hit "enter" I will be giving in to the fact that she is no longer my little, innocent baby. I know it's a bit dramatic, but this is the moment where it all turns. They take off from here. Ugh- can you imagine what I am going to be like when they enter high school? Okay, okay, let's stick to the facts.

She weighs 23 lbs, 2 ozs. and is 30 inches long. Livi has been taking steps, but no real walking action just yet. She shakes her head "no" and has crazy temper tantrums when she doesn't get what she wants. There seems to be no end in sight for the thumbsucking so if you want to give to the "Livi braces" fund, we will be taking donations. She gives kisses to daddy on demand which always makes him blush. She is so stubborn and independent that I swear she will be running a huge corporation and/or the country when she grows up. We will see big things from this one.

I also can't get over how drop dead pretty she is. Those blue eyes and pouty lips make me give in to her a little more than I should. And she isn't much of a cuddler so when she does rest her head against my chest, my heart melts just a little more. Happy Birthday my baby girl, I am the luckiest mommy in the world.

That's My Girl

2011-02-13T13:11:00.004-05:00

Livi started taking little steps on Friday and has been standing alot more lately.... eeek!

Yoga

2011-02-12T21:58:00.004-05:00

So I bought this kids yoga DVD for Liam and I to do together. I pretty much thought I was kidding myself with the whole thing, but I figured it was worth a try. The video has great reviews and I liked the idea of acting out a story while incorporating yoga postures. Not to mention, the stories are all earth-friendly and crunchy which is right up my alley.

It did take a good 5 minutes for him to get into it, but after that he really dug it. He actually loved it and wanted to do it again. I may have even used it as a bribe later that day. Little Liv joined in on the fun too.

Arrrrgh!

2011-02-08T21:16:00.000-05:00

I will admit that the above picture of Livi is not the most flattering, but how hilarious is it? Pretty much sums up her personality too. She is hardcore and her brother better watch out because as soon as she learns to walk, which will be any day now, it is GAME OVER.