Life Lately

It's been about a MONTH since my last post - and wow where does time go?  We have been super busy over here between being on the road, my birthday and Mother's Day, and just life with a 9 month old and 2 year old in general.  We are in the middle of Eric's busy graduation season and he is now full swing in real estate with a few houses on the market, so add in his 12 hour work days and you can begin to see why I haven't posted in a while.  Yes, life is busy - but life is good.

Let's start with the celebrations.  There's been a lot to celebrate these days.  We started with a surprise trip to the Outer Banks for my 30th birthday and Mother's Day weekend.  We had the perfect family getaway and we even got to relax a little this time around.  Traveling with 2 little ones isn't easy, but I feel like I'm slowly becoming an expert.  Sleep or no sleep though, making memories is worth it!  We ate at some of our go-to restaurants and even tried out some new ones, spent a morning walking around Manteo, which is where our wedding reception was (almost) 4 years ago, and enjoyed the sun and sand on the beach.  We came home just in time for Addie and Eric to make me a birthday cake and give me my gift of a clean house!  I seriously cannot contain my excitement of having help cleaning my house twice a month, probably one of my favorite gifts ever!

Our next celebration was in good old Miami of Ohio.  Aunt "T" aka Kristen graduated and we took the (long) 10 1/2 hour trip up to Ohio to help her celebrate.  The girls did great given the lack of naps, late bedtimes followed by early mornings.  They did great and we had so much fun "partying" at T's house as Addie liked to say, but we were all exhausted at the end of it.  Congratulations Kristen. we wouldn't travel that far for just anyone!

Finally, between all of the rain we've had these days and packing, repacking and traveling, we actually have been able to enjoy some nice days at home.  Spring is in the AIR (once every 10 days or so) but this crew soaks up every second of sun and warm weather when we get the chance.  Some of our favorite things to do are taking trips to the zoo, picnics and playing at the park, hanging out with our buddies, or just about anything else we can find to do outside.  

And with all that said, I will finish this post the same way I started it.  Life is busy, but life is good.  I am loving every second of staying home with my two little girls and we are officially ready for some summer time fun!  Bring on the beach, ice cream, and hot summer days :)

Bella - 8 months

Weight, Length, Head - your next well check is next month

Clothes: 9 months

Diapers: Size 3

Health:
This past month we've learned that you poor tummy does not like having pears with cinnamon for breakfast.  You've had it twice and both times you've thrown up.  I will be asking the pediatrician about this next month, but until then we will be avoiding pears with cinnamon.  You also had your first fever, poor thing.

Diet:
You're eating habits remain the same as they were last month.  On a normal day, you eat 3 meals and nurse 5 times a day.  You've done a little better with the bottle again and we have started working on a sippy cup.  I've introduced you to Puffs and you love them!  

Sleep:
In the last month I've decided there's 2 different schedules, the ideal nap schedule in which you would love to have 2 naps per day in your crib.  If you had it your way you would nap 10-12 and then probably 3-5ish.  Your sister naps from 1-3 every day.  Unfortunately, you are the 2nd child and that just doesn't work for us because we would be stuck sitting in the house all day!  Most of the time a little cat nap in the morning holds you off until we get home for your afternoon nap.  You are a child of routine and ready for bed at 7pm on the dot and still wake up most nights around 5am to eat, then go back to sleep until 7:30ish.

Look at that pretty face :)

Likes:

Some current favorites are being outside, you love going on walks and in the swing or even people watching in the baby carrier, your stacking cups and Sophie the giraffe are favorite toys, I think you would eat Puffs all day long.  I plop you on the floor in front of your sister's Leapfrog school bus alphabet magnets and you are content the entire time I make dinner - mommy win!  You are obsessed with taking baths so I can't wait to take you to the pool as soon as it warms up.  Addie is still your favorite person ever and you think she is hilarious! My favorite part of the day is watching the two of you interact, it just keeps getting better and better!

Dislikes:

Being by yourself, your a social baby just like your big sis!  Other than that you are a happy camper!

Sister picture TAKE 1...

TAKE 2 - much better!

Milestones: 
-No crawling and no teeth, stay tuned - they're coming!
-We celebrated your first Easter!  We had family in town, but you were sick the entire time poor baby.
-We took you and your sister to Myrtle Beach for the 1st time over spring break.  It was a nice family getaway, but we also learned some valuable lessons about traveling/sleeping in a hotel room with 2 little ones!
-I've introduced you to Puffs and you've been doing great practicing with your pincer grasp.
-You are constantly babbling and blowing raspberries.  You and your sister talk back and forth together all the time, usually all through dinner time.

Personality:
Life continues to get better and better and we couldn't be happier having you in it.  You are so sweet and such a happy little girl.  I am looking forward to all of the fun things we have planned this summer and I am going to soak up every little ounce of my baby Bella - because by the end of the summer you will be ONE!

Visitors:   

Pap, Grandma, and Aunt Kristen came for Easter weekend.

My Favorite Things

I used to do a post titled "My Favorite Things" every month for Addie, until she turned ONE!  Unfortunately, life is hectic these days and I have not gotten around to do one for Addie since her first birthday and I haven't done any for poor Bella (I'm lucky if I get her monthly updates done!  Sorry Bella, you're the second child and I do my best!)  The girls are at such fun ages right now and I could write a book every day about things they say or do that I want to remember, but instead here is a quick snapshot of just a few of my favorite things:

Addie - My Favorite Things at 2 years old

You are quite the talker these days.  You talk ALL DAY LONG and the things that come out of your mouth are hilarious. The other day you asked for more ketchup at lunch (you even did the sign for more which meant you were serious!) and I told you it was all gone.  You looked at me and in the most hilarious voice said "WHAT!" I couldn't help but laugh.   You make me laugh all day long and I love that about you!

You are the sweetest big sister to Bella.  I can always count on you to get her one of her toys or get her the pacifier when she needs it.  Sometimes you will get a book and read to her or make silly faces and noises to make her laugh.  My favorite part of the day is watching the two of you interact.

I love how you ask your Dad and I a million times a day if we are okay.  We respond with a "Yes, are you okay Addie?"  and you say "Yes, I'm okay" and continue doing whatever you were doing.  Thanks for looking out for us Addie :)

Dancing, jumping, and twirling are 3 of your favorite things and I love how the second you hear music you just start to move.  It's so cute!

You and Coop are best buds.  He's finally learning the benefits of having little ones in the house because he always has someone to throw his ball, chase him, and even get him a treat.  I love how you have him sit and give you his paw before rewarding him, it's pretty cute to watch.

Being outside is your favorite place in the whole world.  We spend a lot of time at the park and the second we try to come inside, you run to the door and ask to go back outside.  I love how active you are and I hope you always love being outside as much as you do now.

The older you get the more you like to cuddle.  You love to say "I hold you" and "I rock you" to Daddy and I and we love it!

Your singing skills are spot on and you definitely don't get that from us.  You can recite most of the little songs from Daniel Tiger (you love to tell me "Flush and wash and be on your way") and the "Itsy Bitsy Spider" is another one of your favorites.

Bella - My Favorite Things at (almost) 8 months

I love that you really are my little mini me.  Addie is very much a Daddy's girl, but you on the other hand, you're my girl!  We are attached at the hip 24/7 and you are a pretty cute sidekick!

I'm obsessed with your little chunky thighs and I'm so excited that it's almost swimsuit and romper season.  There's seriously nothing better than baby rolls!

You have the prettiest blue eyes and I could stare into them all day long!

I love going in your room when you first wake up.  You kick your legs like crazy and squeal in excitement!  It's one of my favorite parts of our day!

I love the way that you look at your big sister.  Your eyes light up the second she enters the room and I swear you could sit and watch her all day long.

I can always tell when you are tired because the second I lay you in your crib you lift your legs and roll to the side.  The pacifier quickly falls out of your mouth and you are out.

You tell the best stories at dinner time and they are very dramatic.  You start talking and your sister quickly starts talking over top of you, needless to say between the two of you - your dad and I can't even get a word in.  Now if we only knew what the two of you were saying...

The sound of your laugh is my favorite.  You laugh all day long, usually at your sister.  You think she is absolutely hilarious!

Spring Break - Myrtle Beach Days

I was dreaming last night,

when I got the notion,

to pack my bags

and head out for the ocean.

And I was thinking to-day,

of good times last year,

of lookin' at the ladies,

and drinking cold draft beers...

Myrtle Beach Days!

We'll have some fun

in the waves,

I don't care what the

West Coast says,

But I love those

Myrtle Beach,

love those

Myrtle Beach Days!

These songs lyrics couldn't be more perfect to describe our spring break this year.  We ended up taking an impromptu trip to Myrtle Beach (by impromptu I mean we decided the day before that we were going to go - which is a little crazy when you have a 2 year old and a 7 month old!)  When Eric and I lived in Raleigh, we used to spend a lot of time there.  Eric grew up vacationing there, so he has a lot of great memories with his mom and dad.  We spent many birthdays and other special occasions there when we were dating and even got engaged there!  Unfortunately we haven't been back since we moved to Virginia, until now :)

It was so much fun to bring the girls to Myrtle Beach to experience some of our favorite places and things to do.  They may be little, but you're never to young to appreciate searching for seashells or a night at Broadway at the Beach.  I liked watching Eric light up as he showed the girls the ways and pointed out different places.  This was our first trip to Myrtle Beach with the girls, but I know that it won't be the last!