December 31, 2011

Happy New Year's Eve! The kiddos are in bed and we are about to drink a little, eat a lot, watch some movies, and ring in the New Year casual style.

2011 has been an amazing year. I made some awesome friends, the kids are growing like weeds, I am married to an amazing man, and this year is ending on a high note. The year went by wicked fast, and I am sure 2012 is going to be even faster.

If you're out for the night, please be safe. If you're in for the night, party it up.

See you in 2012! <3

Merry Christmas 2011

For days now, Bella has been begging me for Santa to come. She asks, ever day, if she is on the "nice" list or the "naughty" list. Jeff told her if she wasn't good, Krompus would come instead of Santa. If you don't know who Krompus is (and I didn't until a few weeks ago), look it up. Good times. haha. Anyway, it's been working. She's been on VERY good behavior. And Santa delivered. She was beyond thrilled with her books (the big thing she asked Santa for), her baby high chair and stroller, and her Twilight turtle.

She was excited about EVERYTHING she got. So much so that she kept wanting to stop opening gifts to play with the last opened one. She was breath taking to watch. Her excitement and joy were contagious. She LOVED Christmas.

Riley, not so much.

He wasn't into opening presents, or getting presents, or interested in anything that didn't involve Mommy holding him, his head on my shoulder, a handful of hair grasped in his hand (his insurance policy that Mommy wouldn't put him down--- smart little man). Three molars and four canines coming in at once doesn't make for a very enjoyable day. Add in the hoopla of opening presents, his hyper sister, and he was MISERABLE. My poor little man.

Despite crying, non-napping, general crabbiness, and zero interest in anything Christmas, the rest of us had an amazing day. Christmas Eve service, spending time together, Bella's enthusiasm, and gingerbread cookies made for a Christmas to remember.

From our family to yours, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, happy Sunday.

9 days until Christmas???

There are only NINE days until Christmas! How did THAT happen?? Good thing I am prepared. :) Presents are wrapped and under the tree. I have baked cookies and plan on baking more. Christmas cards are just waiting for me to remember to buy more stamps. Packages are mailed. I am looking forward to Christmas Eve service (PLEASE, God, don't let one of my kids puke).

I am excited to see Bella's reaction to Christmas this year. Her first Christmas, she was so overwhelmed she was terrified. Last year, she was so excited she was manic. So we'll see. Riley is terrified of Santa, and opening presents (didn't want to open birthday presents or the early Christmas presents we opened with friends a few days ago). So we shall see.

Bella and I have been doing the Advent calendar that Jeff bought me a few years ago. She is having a blast with that. Seeing her face light up with joy every day is such a blessing.

Still...already 9 days until Christmas?? lol

Not so good at this...

Apparently, I am not that great at updating my blog. I haven't in almost two months. I have a friend that does an awesome blog, and she has five kids! So why am I so overwhelmed with just two? lol

That is going to be goal for 2012: update my blog more. It would probably help if more people read it. But I don't want to beg. Am I that uninteresting? haha

2012 is going to be an interesting year. We've decided to go for baby number 3, and we're going to be moving to New Hampshire in a few years; before Bella starts kindergarten. That is the goal. So a lot of things to do, for both of those endeavors.

I hope you come along for the journey.

Happy Halloween!

Happy 1st Halloween to my baby boy! Right now, the kids are sporting Halloween tshirts. Isabella's is Dora "Mommy's Little Pumpkin" and Riley's is "Will Trade my Sister for Candy." Tonight, they will be the princess and the frog. I LOVE that theme! Ever since I had Riley, that is what I have wanted to do for this Halloween. Super happy it worked out that way.

I am also impatiently, anxiously awaiting news from one of my best friends. She is having her little girl today. Come on baby Urbach #2! Auntie wants to see your face!

9 months!

Where has the time gone? Riley was 9 months old last week. Less than 3 months and my baby will be a year old. This time around, time is going much too quickly!

We had his well visit yesterday. 21 pounds, 5 ounces and 29.25 inches long. He's going to overtake his teeny sister soon. His head is fine. No need for an MRI, thank God. He just has a big head. Just what I need, right? Another male with a big head. lol. He is a big, healthy boy. Army crawling like a champ. Says "Dada," "hi," and "yeah." Waves. Knows his name. Eats like a football player.

I look at him and I can't believe he was so tiny 9 months ago. He's such a big boy now. His smile is amazing. It lights up his whole face. He's usually a very happy, content baby. But the boy does have a temper on him. He can scream with the best of them. haha.

Love you baby boy

10 Reasons I LOVE Being a Mom

In no particular order (and not the only reasons):

1. Hearing a little voice saying "I wuvoo Mommy"

2. Baby smiles

3. Snuggles at any time of the day

4. The way they smell just after baths

5. The look on their faces when they learn something new

6. Bella likes to share

7. I can watch kid movies/shows lol

8. Watching them change from infant to baby to toddler to preschooler

9. Watching them play together

10. Watching them with their daddy

And so it begins...

Today is the first day of the correctional academy for Jeff. It's supposedly "Hell Week" to weed out anyone that doesn't want to put in the time and effort, and get yelled at week after week. Basically, like boot camp all over again. He'll do great! lol. He's the class leader, and has been fielding calls for the past week of "What uniform are we supposed to wear?" "What time are we supposed to be there?" "Do I have to bring everything every day?" I think we're going to need to up our cell phone minutes.

I'm so excited for him. I know it's going to be a stressful 7 weeks for all of us, but this is a second career for him, as opposed to a job. It'll be a lot like the military, and the prisoners are probably more well behaved than our toddler. He's looking forward to losing weight, doing something new and worthwhile, and having weekdays off once he's done with the academy. I'm looking forward to him being fulfilled, not having to worry about money, and being able to do some new things during the week when he has days off. It's a win-win.

So if you get a chance, send him well wishes through FB or text, say a little prayer, and we'll be in touch.

Almost mobile

The Boy is almost movile. Well, actually, he is mobile. He can roll around the living room to get where he wants. lol. He wants to crawl so badly! He keeps trying. Now that he knows he can move, I'm sure it won't be much longer.

And he has an awesome drill seargant, um, teacher. Bella keeps yelling; "Do it! Crawl! Do it!" lol Little drill seargent in the making she is.

I can't believe how quickly it has gone by this time. It seems like yesterday that we brought him home from the hospital and he was tiny. Now he is almost 7 months old and crawling. It makes me sad.

But I am also so thrilled that he is experiencing new things. He is such a happy baby.

Now I am off to give him another good night smooch

Thank God it's...Monday????

I never thought I would say that! But what a weekend. And not in the good way. I think I might have a grey hair...or two.

Friday was supposed to be a fun day of shopping with our good friends. It mostly was...until the end when Bella tripped in the parking lot and scraped a good amount of skin off her knee. I figured that was bad enough...until Saturday.

While on a walk with Daddy, Bella tripped over herself, landed on her knee (again) and then face planted! A few hours later, she threw up, so we rushed her to the ER, thinking she had a concussion. Thankfully, she does not; she just has a nasty bump, a few scrapes, and a few bruises.

If this is the way the rest of the year is going to go, I am terrified.

What a Crazy Weekend!

I don't remember the last time we had such a wonderful, albeit completely crazy, weekend! Jeff didn't have yardwork to do, so it was the four of us all weekend. That's the first time that has happened in AGES. It was nice for him to be home with us; the kids don't get to see much of him when he does yardwork on the weekends. During the week, he is only home for three hours a night before they go to bed (and most of that is taken up by making dinner/eating dinner/cleaning up dinner). Saturday was INSANE. Not only did Bella get pinkeye out of nowhere, but my 4 months and 20 day old baby got a tooth! Yes, ladies and gentlemen, you read that correctly: the boy has a tooth; not even five months old yet! One of his bottom teeth broke through, and the one next to it is on its way through, as well. How crazy is that?? He might have two teeth before he is even five months old (Bella got her first one between 6.5 and 7 months!). My poor girl has such a yucky eye! I have no idea where she got it (although I am guessing from a shopping cart or touching something someone else had touched), but it is in full force. We took her to the dr today for antiobiotics. All weekend, though, it looked like someone had punched my baby in the eye. If we can somehow manage to keep Riley from contracting it, I will count myself lucky.

San Diego trip

We went to San Diego last weekend for the first time in almost two years. We hadn't been there since Bella was four months old. While San Diego definitely doesn't feel like home anymore, it was nice to see some friends, go to the Zoo, and show off the kids.

The Zoo was amazing. Bella had a wonderful time. She loved the giraffes, of course, and the new elephant encounter, and the gift shop, haha. The new elephant encounter was awesome. All of the changes to the Zoo were amazing. It was the highlight of our trip.

We met up with friends, saw some sights, and were equally happy to get home. There is something wonderful about sleeping in your own bed the first night back from a trip.

Bella is TWO!

Ah, the Terrible Twos. That stage of whining, screaming, tantrum-throwing chaos that enters every house just before the age of two and leaves...does it leave? Bella officially entered this stage the moment we brought Riley home from the hospital. She screams, she cries, she hits, she throws fits. And then she gives a hug or a kiss, and all is better.

She officially turned two this past Saturday. We had a party and in her dress up clothes, she no longer looked like my baby. She looked like a little kid! Where did the time go? Two years ago, she was a tiny, needy newborn. Now she is a tiny, needy toddler. haha

She said "I wuvoo" today. This is going to be one of my favorite days for the rest of my life

It's just another manic Monday...

...but I don't wish it were Sunday. That was NOT a fun day. Mondays are full of putting away laundry, trying to do the dishes, clean up after an active toddler...all while the aforementioned toddler follows me around and the adorable baby boy fusses because Mommy isn't paying attention to him at that moment. And I still need to figure out what to have for dinner tonight.

I do not like Mondays. They mean the weekend is over and the whole week looms before me. Mondays mean that Jeff is back to work, and I am on my own again, trying to muddle my way through being the mom to two in two years. Most days, I don't feel like I'm doing a very good job. The toddler is whiny and clingy and doesn't listen. The baby is clingy and fussy and just wants to be held.

And this week is full of extra cleaning to prepare for Bella's birthday party on Saturday. It's hard to believe she will be two. She's still my baby. I'm excited for our friends and family to come celebrate with us, though. We're probably not going to do another big party for her for another few years, so it will be nice to have everyone here. As much as I panic and run around like a lunatic, I love having people over to celebrate things.

Here's hoping for a good week

Happy 2011

This year is off to a fantastic start. We had good friends over for New Year's Eve to ring in the New Year. We watched movies, ate snacks, snuggled the boy. The weekend went well. Jeff got down all of the outside Christmas decorations; I still need to tackle what is left of the indoor decorations. We got a lot of errands done, a lot of cleaning done, a lot of organization started. Yesterday we went back to church. That's right, ladies and gentlemen, Jeff went to church with us. lol.

I really like this new church we started going to. Isabella loves the nursery care. I really like the minister and the people have been friendly and welcoming. Yesterday's sermon was about the church's goals for 2011. I thought it was interesting and reassuring to know what the pastor has in store for us.

Today, Travis and I went for a walk with the kids. My goal is to lose weight, and lots of it. I need to get motivated. With the ppd, it's been hard, though. I WANT to exercise but there never seems time. When I do have time, one or both of the kids needs something. Morning walks are going to work best, I think.

The biggest news is that Jeff got into the January correctional officer academy! I am so so proud of him, and this means big changes for our family.

I hope 2011 is a great year for all of you