Love Day

February 14th - Valentine's Day - A day of LOVE! Here's is how we celebrated LOVE Day in the Harvell Household this year:

• Daddy sure does know how to spoil his girls on Valentine's Day!  He took the early shift with the girls and together they made breakfast.  (It's so much fun to watch Addie and Bella be included in the traditions we started pre-kids.  Eric's cooked breakfast for me on Valentine's Day morning for 6 years now!)
• We've never been huge gifters on Valentine's Day, but Eric did get us some pretty pink flowers!  Addie and Bella got a few new books and a stuffed frog & monkey.
• It was freezing outside, I think the high was 20 degrees, so we spent the day at home.  We played, colored, and built towers all day long and it was a lot of fun!
• I cooked us a yummy heart-shaped pizza for dinner! (Eric and I are currently on the 21 day sugar detox, so pizza was more work than you would think because it had a cauliflower crust!) Addie (who is not detoxing!) decorated a heart shaped cookie for dessert and ate every last bit of icing off of it!
• Eric and I celebrated with a date night later in the week, so after the girls went to bed we relaxed on the couch, Eric made a fire, and we caught up on our favorite show these days "Parenthood!"

Our little Valentine's day celebration at home this year couldn't have been more perfect.  It's not about big expensive gifts in our family, it's the little things that count and spending time together that is really important to us.  Life is so sweet with Addie and Bella every day of the year, but sometimes it is nice to slow down and truly appreciate what you have.  Eric' and I have the best love story and I love the life that we have created together.  Eric is my best friend and I wouldn't want to share our crazy life with anyone else.  Happy (belated) Valentine's Day from our family to yours!

Bella's 1st Valentine's Day - we love you to the moon and back Bella Bean! 

Addie and Bella helping Daddy make pancakes and sausage for breakfast! 

Our Valentine's Day play date was complete with cookie decorating, crafting, and lots of playing with our friends!

Bella - 6 months

Weight 15 lbs 6 oz (40th percentile)

Length 25.2 inches (21st percentile)

Head 44 cm (84th percentile)

Clothes: a combo of 6 & 9 months clothes

Diapers: Size 2

Health:
We visited Dr. Fink for your 6 month well check.  We doubled up and did Addie's 2 year well check at the same time!  You both did great and you continue to be a happy, healthy baby!  This month you've had a never-ending stuffy nose so I had Dr. Fink double check your ears to make sure you didn't inherit ear aches like your big sis did.  Luckily, you didn't have any ear infections.  We ended the appointment with the dreaded shots (for both you and your sis!), which resulted in a low fever and fussy baby for the next 24 hours.  I hate seeing you upset, so I was very happy when it passed and you were back to your smiley self!

Diet:
We've started solids this month, wooohoo!  So far you've had sweet potatoes, squash, and carrots and you've loved them all!  It only took you a few days to get it down and now you inhale the whole jar in one sitting!  Right now we are only having solids at dinner but I think we are going to start solids at breakfast very soon because you like them so much.  Next up on the menu is some green veggies and maybe apples for something sweet!  Don't get me wrong though, you still love momma's milk too!

Sleep:

Not much has changed here.  Overall, you are a very good sleeper.  You sleep (almost) through the night, waking around 5 to nurse and will go back to bed until 7:30-8ish.  Occasionally, you wake up throughout the night and need your pacifier, but then quickly roll over back onto your side and go back to sleep.  Yes, you are a side sleeper and I love how you kick your legs up and roll to your side the second I lay you down in your crib.  The morning nap is usually on the go and I'm thankful you are still okay with that.  Your afternoon nap is in your crib and usually lasts around 2 hours.  Typically, you still need an evening cat nap and this is probably the trickiest part of our day.  Around 4-5ish you become fussy/tired, your big sister acts like she hasn't been fed in over a week, and I'm trying to make dinner...all at the same time.  On a good day, you fall asleep, your sister is content with a small snack and Daniel Tiger, while I speed cook in the kitchen.  On a bad day, I'm holding you, attempting to get something together for dinner, all while your sister is screaming and tugging at my leg.  Luckily, your dad comes to the rescue at 5:30 and every one cheers up after a yummy meal!

Likes:

In the past month you have become very active!  You love to play with toys, the o-ball and rattle are your favorites.  You love to be sitting up in your excersaucer or bumbo so you can watch everything around you.  This month, you've started taking baths with your sister and you kick and squeal the entire time.  I love all the giggles that come during bath time from you and Addie!  You love sitting up with us at dinner time.

Dislikes:

You do not like having your face cleaned or nose suctioned, but who would?

Milestones: 
-You've rolled from your belly to your back on your own a few times.  You've even managed to roll from your back to belly one time (in the middle of the night) and you did not like it!  No worries though, I quickly came to your rescue!
-We've heard an all out baby giggle and it's absolutely my favorite sound ever.  You are very ticklish and think your big sister is hilarious, both can guarantee an all out belly laugh!
-You've started solids - sweet potatoes were first and after the initial shock that it wasn't momma's milk, you loved every bite!  Addie even likes to help feed you, with mommy and daddy's supervision of course!
-I can tell you are very close to sitting up on your own.  You love to lean forward and do it by yourself, but you still need some assistance.
-Your eyes are still a very pretty blueish-greenish-hazelish color (I'm not sure what to call them) and your dad is very proud of that!  You guys are twins!
-You sat up in the swing for the first time at the park and sat up in our new double stroller, both of which you absolutely loved!
-You have started taking your baths with your big sister!  It makes it so much more fun (and a lot easier) on all of us.
-We celebrated your first Valentine's Day!
-We took you outside in the snow for the first time.  You were all bundled up and looked so cute in your little snowsuit!

Personality:
Over the past month you have become quite a little busy body!  You are so active and love to play! You are constantly checking things out and observing every little thing around you, always with a smile on your face.  You are still such a chill baby, but I really do love this side of you too!  This is such a fun age and I love watching you as you take in every new experience and thing that comes your way.  I can't believe that we are already at the 6 month mark, but life is good and so sweet with you in it.  Happy 1/2 birthday Bella bean, we love you to the moon and back!

Visitors:   

We had family in town to celebrate Addie's 2nd birthday and you greeted every single one of them in true Bella fashion, with a huge smile!

Addie & Cooper: An Update

Everyone knows that dog's are supposed to be "man's best friend".  They are loyal, protective, and always there to greet you as you walk through the door.  After watching Addie and Cooper over the last couple of weeks I think we need to change that phrase.  Cooper is man's  toddler's best friend.  Addie and Cooper have taken their friendship to a whole new level these last couple of weeks.  Enter - the ball.  Addie loves to play catch and Cooper loves to fetch, it truly is a match made in heaven!  They literally run circles around the house playing and will do it nonstop for hours.  Addie gets Cooper's ball, runs a few laps, then I hear "ready, set, go as she launches it (all of 5 feet away) and Cooper jumps on it.  Then we repeat, about 100 times a day!  This is really a win win for everyone.  Addie gets her exercise on days it's too cold to play outside, Cooper gets to play, and they both end up exhausted at the end of the day.  Plus it makes for great entertainment for Bella and I!  Playing catch is only one of their many activities these days.  Addie also likes to give Cooper check ups with her Doc McStuffins kit, he doubles as a couch because she sits on top of him when she eats her snack, and Addie's learning how to get him to do all sorts of tricks before he gets his treat - sit & paw are her current favorites.    I can't wait to see what these 2 come up with next, especially when we add Bella (who will be on the move soon!) to the mix!  

Addie's 2nd Birthday - Pancakes & Pajamas

We decided on a "Pancakes & Pajama" party theme for Addie's 2nd birthday party.  Addie loves "cake" as she calls them for breakfast and who doesn't?  I mean they are so yummy, come in all types of flavors - chocolate chip is Addie's fave, and are topped with whatever your heart desires.  The breakfast food wouldn't be complete without adorable toddler pajamas, so that's just what we did.  This party was so much fun to plan (and also so easy!) and was so perfect for our pancake loving, pajama wearing, crazy little girl!

So let's start with the basics:

• The food - pancakes (obviously!) - 3 different kinds - plain, blueberry, and chocolate chip.  Pancakes aren't the same without bacon and sausage.  I added a fruit and yogurt parfait bar for something a little healthy.  Then topped it off with the cutest little "eggs & bacon" candies that doubled as favors for Addie's little friend.  We served coffee, juice, mimosas, water, & chocolate milk.  Our donut cake was a hit with guest of all ages! 

• The decor & more - I went with a super girly pink and gold.  It was so pretty and so perfect!  I kept it simple and actually found a lot of stuff in the Target dollar bins (thank you Valentine's day!)  I put together some adorable and super yummy favors for Addie's little friends.  They said "You're the bacon to my eggs!" Last year, I had all of our friends and family write a little note to Addie in a book for her 1st birthday and I decided the keep the tradition going.  This year I bought "If You Give a Pig a Pancake" and it is now filled with love notes from a lot of amazing people in Addie's life.  I'm hoping to continue this for the next 18 years and then give them all to her one day. 

• The activities - Let's be real, 2 year olds don't really have the attention span for too many activities.  I printed a few breakfast themed coloring pages (which I don't even think were used) and other than that just let the little ones have a free for all with Addie's toys.  I put together a fun and very, very cheap (I used 3 plastic tablecloths that were $1 each and bought some cute props from Michael's) photo booth for us to use to document all of our friends and family at the party.  I think the adults actually had more fun with it than the kids :)

We had so much fun at Addie's party.  It was absolutely perfect.  The pancakes were a hit and who doesn't love showing up to a party in pajamas!  After we ate, we opened up presents.  Addie was much more into in this year compared to last year which made it a lot of fun!  She was excited about all of her gifts, from the M&M's to the new tricycle that Grandma & Pap got her.  She loved the art easel from Eric and I, along with all of the art supplies she got.  The Doc McStuffin & Minnie Mouse gifts were favorites, along with the huge stuffed pink unicorn from Uncle Brian and Carla.  Addie is a very spoiled girl and we are so thankful for all of the gifts our little girl received at her party.  Each and every one of them brought a smile to her face and so much excitement!  After gifts, we sang Happy Birthday and then enjoyed some donuts.  Addie licked every last bit of chocolate icing off of her donut and ate every last sprinkle.  After "cake" it was time for more playing and more fun in the photo booth.  Shortly after that Addie's party came to an end.  Our friends and family may have left, but the memories we had with them at Addie's very fun and very perfect party will last a lifetime!