Happy Birthday to Buggie!

To My Sweet Angel Baby,

I can't believe you're already one.  This past year, although at times hard, exhausting and overwhelming, have been all that I ever dreamt of.  Daddy and I wanted you so badly.  We went through so much before finally becoming pregnant with you.  Although SIF was a difficult journey, I wouldn't trade one day if it, because we got you!  You were picked just for us!

You are the sweetest little baby.  You have a very even temper, are always in a good mood, and smile and laugh constantly.  You are a ray of sunshine in our lives, and when days are hard you always remind us to slow down, enjoy the simple things and smile.  Mimi says you're easy!

Your laugh is one that makes others chuckle.  It's short and rapid-fire.  So cute!  Even at 1, you give the greatest hugs.  I look forward to getting them every day.  When I arrive to pick you up, walk around the corner or get you up in the morning, you reach out to me, but only with one hand :)  Soothing yourself is all about your hair, or mine.  I always know when you're upset, frustrated, angry or tired, because you put those hands right in your hair.  At one, you eat more at meals than your big brother.  It's amazing, sometimes we just can't seem to get you full.  When food is being prepared you cry and whine, almost saying "give me that NOW".  During bath time, you splash, laugh, and play.  You will cry and then crawl away from me while I'm trying to take you out and dry you.  You are mommy's little shadow, and I wouldn't have it any other way.  Although you constantly want to be held, you're also quite a wiggle worm, and want to be in the action at all times.  You're a complete breeze in the car, completely content and either not making a peep, or laughing and interacting with your brother.  Those are some of my favorite times, when you and your brother hold hands in the backseat or just make each other laugh uncontrollably on our way home for the day.  I often tear up.  Babies are of no interest to you, nor are stuffed animals.  You throw them to the ground in protest, then go grab a car.  Those big blue eyes and toothless grin are to die for.  You light up a room.  You will dance/sway to anything that even resembles music.  You love to boogie.  It's adorable.

We are truly in love with you, all of us.  Your big brother, who likes to call you Brynleigh Annie or baby girl, ADORES you!  You light up our lives, complete our family and constantly remind us to slow down and enjoy the simplicities of life.  What an amazing gift you were to our family of three.  We love you!  Happy Birthday sweet buggie!

Age: 1 year old!  ::gasp::

Stats: Tomorrow is her appt.  I think she'll be around 18.5lbs.

Size (diapers, onesies, etc.): Baby girl is wearing a range.  She's still wearing a lot of 9 month clothes, but wears some 12 and some 12-18.  Diapers are size 3's still.

Sleeping: Besides sometimes being difficult to put down (hubs drives her in the car 1-2 times per week lately to get her to fall asleep) she does fairly well.  B is a restless sleeper and wakes up frequently to moan, cry or move around.  But 9 times out of 10, she puts herself back to sleep.

Eating: I made it...1 year breastfeeding.  I'm incredibly proud of us, and happy I did it for her and her health.  I hung up my pump for good this past Friday, and gave her the last frozen milk on Saturday (her bday).  She's been breastfeeding 1-2 times per day still, but we're on mostly wcm now.  For her days with Mimi, we'll be changing her eating schedule gradually this week so she is only getting 2 bottles a day, the rest in a sippy.  Right now she gets two bottles and two breastfeeding sessions.  We'll be dropping one of those this week.  Otherwise, this girl is a complete pig!!!  3 meals and 2 snacks, going strong.  You should have seen this girl put down her birthday cupcakes!

Milestones:
1. clapping (this week!) and saying yaaaaaaa!

2. cruising

3. walking confidently with walker

4. being able to get down from standing position in bed

5.  pulling to a stand with ease

6.  wcm in a sippy

7.  signing "more" and trying to say "thank you"

8.  waving bye-bye

9. tons of babbling in her own little language

10.  peek-a-boo with a blanket over her head

Favorite toys/activities: Activity tables are high right now, her walkers, and anything that will talk to her and/or play music so she can dance.

Here are a few photos of her on her actual birthday. 

Dinner with the fam.  Mimi and Papa also have birthdays the two days before. 

 

 Mini cupcake at dinner

 She didn't like it at all... :)

 On her birthday morning I put a bunch of balloons on her floor for when she woke up.

Birthday breakfast and a small sneak-peek of her bday decor on her high chair

The rest of the weekend was spent preparing for, hosting and cleaning up after B's secret garden first birthday party.  I'm so glad it's over, but I was really happy with how it turned out.  I'll post birthday party pictures in my next post. 

One other big event this weekend was T's first baseball pictures.  I know I'm biased, but when he came home in his new uniform, I actually CRIED!  He looked adorable!  My big boy!  ::swoon::  I'm officially a team cobras fan! :)

Can't wait to show you how a garden threw up in my house. 

Oh How Pinteresting Vol 1

I am pumped I found thevintageapple.com and her Oh How Pinteresting blog swap.  What a great idea, and something mindless and fun to get my mind off the stresses of B's upcoming party, the mountain of grading on my desk right now that I'm not in the mood to grade, and the fact that I used my last frozen stock bag of breastmilk this AM.  A moment of silence please for this...  ::snif, tear::

So, anyway, although I'm a day late and a dollar short...I'm joining the party anyway.  So here's what I'm pinterestingly craving...

Oh to have time to do any of this.  A girl can dream.

Source: bedifferentactnormal.com via Kristin on Pinterest

Source: chiswickwoodworking.co.uk via Kristin on Pinterest

Source: blissimagesandbeyond.blogspot.com via Kristin on Pinterest

Source: thepennyparlor.com via Kristin on Pinterest

Source: johnnyinadress.blogspot.com via Kristin on Pinterest

Source: hometalk.com via Kristin on Pinterest

And a little fashion never hurt anyone :)

Source: polyvore.com via Kristin on Pinterest

PYHO: When Does a Dandelion Become Just a Weed

I've been writing this post in my head for a couple of weeks now.  It's a question that has been plaguing me.  The ponderance came from T's newfound obsession with picking dandelions and giving them to us.  At first, it was sweet.  I played the part, I thanked him and carried it around the rest of our walk.  On one instance, I even put them in water because, as T said "I think they'll stay alive longer in our house with lots and lots of water".  I did the dance.  I hugged him and told him how pretty they were.  However, in the back of my mind, I was thinking about when and how I was going to break the news to him.  When's the right time, and what is the right way to tell a kid that a dandelion is just a weed.  Not only is it a weed, but we don't welcome them in our yard, and mommy and daddy don't want to put them in a vase.  I can just hear his little heart breaking.  What a metaphor for life.  Seriously. 

These instances of dandelion picking led to a discussion hubs and I had on one of our evening walks with the kids.  When DO you break the realities of life to a child? Hubs and I both agree that it's best to tell the truth to our kids.  We talked about it briefly, but never came to a sound conclusion.  The discussion was tabled.

A few days later, T came home from his first pitch baseball practice and proudly announced that he was "the best batter, ever".  Ummmmmm.  I looked at hubs' face, and knew that wasn't exactly the case.  Although T is doing quite well holding his own with the bigger kids, he's playing up in the 6U group, he's definitely not "the best".  I said something like "great job buddy", and moved on. 

This whole "I'm the best" situation brought the discussion about again on how to tell your child that life isn't fair and he's, most likely, not going to be a major league baseball player.  How can we finally tell them they won't have everything given to them on a silver platter?  How can we break it to our children that every loving, present-giving character they've believed in is actually lame old mom and dad?  How long should we let them look through rose-colored glasses?

I do think society coddles today's youth far too much.  I don't think every child should win a ribbon or get a trophy.  ::eye roll:: Technically, they didn't all "win".  What does this teach our children?  I do think it's a tragedy that little leaguers can't chant "hey batter batter batter, swing batter" from the dugout or field.  I mean...come on....  I do think blaming "bullying" for every problem in schools is a bit overboard (not saying it doesn't happen...I know it does).  I am appalled at the level of helicopter parenting.  I see it all first hand as a high school teacher.  Even at 14-18, these kids think they "deserve" an A, and it's MY fault they didn't receive one.  Mommy and Daddy tell them they're the best, so they assume that's how the world works.  When they graduate, they'll be the ones expecting to make six figures right out of college, and won't settle for less because, they deserve it. 

I don't want my kids to be that way.  I want to be sure I raise them to know the realities of life and they are independent and confident, but not cocky.  I don't want them to grow up sheltered, entitled, whiny, and selfish.  I want my kids to KNOW they won't make every team, win every race, get an A on every project, and be the best at every activity they try.  I want to be sure they're prepared that every kid won't like them.  Sometimes their peers will be cruel.  Often they will dislike their teacher or boss.  Not everyone or everything will be in their life forever.  Everything won't always be okay.  Sometimes life sucks.  They might cry sometimes, be hurt sometimes.  Life isn't perfect, and they shouldn't have to be either. 

This is why, even if you don't agree with me, we will make sure T & B are not lied to.  We have to figure out how to prepare them, how to be honest with them and how to sometimes perform tough love. 

Although life isn't always fair, they will also know that their dad and I will always be there.  No matter what, we will always love them, and they will get through it. 

If you know my neighbor...this is even funnier!  (aka Hairy Mower Man) LOL! 

Put together your own Pour Your Heart Out post, and go linky up with Shell @ Things I Can't Say.  She wrote a great post today about whether her kids know how hard she works, and that she does it all for them.  Inspiring post.  Go on over!

 

 

Toddle Along Tuesday...er...Wednesday: Bloopers

A blast from the past.  I might be breaking the "rules" here, as this is a video, not a photo...but...I couldn't resist.  The fam and I were taking a stroll down memory lane the last few days, watching home video of T at around the same age as B.  It's been so much fun!  T is now more interested in laughing (hysterically) at himself, than watching his normal morning cartoon. 

So, as we walked down memory lane...we came across this classic moment in T's life.  It speaks for itself.  Disclaimer:  No toddler was hurt during the filming of this video.  Enjoy, and laugh along.  I know we did.

Our Easter Best...kinda

I've been feeling a bit overwhelmed lately with all the sports with T, B's party looming, tons of family birthdays and the normal daily grind of life as a working mom of two.  So...I completely SUCKED when it came to being the Easter Bunny, this year.  This holiday was put on the back-burner...which I am not very proud to admit, considering it's a pretty big one.  You'd think that last year, when B was only just over a week old, I'd be a bit scattered and unprepared.  However, last year we had our secret weapon...my mom. 

I did the very best I could...even if that meant coloring eggs at 8pm the night before, and cracking 4 of the 16 we made.  Oops.  I was concerned they wouldn't even dry before it was hiding time.  They did, thankfully.  Then I was a stressed out wreck prepping for church, because I got beyond frustrated taking pictures of the kiddos (aka not a good one in the bunch and lots of outtakes I'm not gonna post).  I don't know why, but I got so upset B wouldn't keep her bow on, or her shoes, or sit still to be photographed.  I also completely forgot that I might need something to wear Easter Sunday as well.  Oops again.  Needless to say, I was combing my closet praying something old still fit...then running back and forth between the laundry room and our bedroom, trying to look halfway presentable.  The kicker of the entire day was that B had the biggest blowout poop we have ever encountered as parents, while still in her pretty WHITE dress.  Fun times.  Oh, did I mention we weren't home when it happened.  Thanks God I had packed a change of clothes for her.  I think we smelled up hubs' aunts' entire house!  It was disgusting. 

Despite the less-than-perfect holiday, we still had a great time with family, ate lots of candy and attended a very lovely church service.  God is good. 

Leaving carrots for the Easter Bunny

 T's note

 Coloring Eggs...fun, even if it was last-minute.  The pinterest idea of using egg beaters worked wonders!  Yippee pinterest!

 Hubs and B even helped, kinda...

 Our best attempt at eggs...some of them.

 The morning of...looking at the paw print the bunny left

 Egg Hunting

 Yippee, he found his basket! 

 So pumped about his iron man and baseball glove

 Candy for breakfast?  Yes please!

 The 5 seconds B was in her bunny ears.  I tried.  ::sigh::

 The best of about a million attempts at a photo...::double sigh::

 Lame photo shoot attempt...but isn't he the cutest?

 Trying to take cute pictures...

 Headband?  Gone.  Shoes?  On their way off.

 The kiddos with Mimi & Papa (seconds before we realized B had poop up to her neck.   Sweet.

 Easter Egg hunt with the fam

 T's loot

  Hope you all had a lovely holiday!  I know we did! 

Why MY Life is Officially O.V.E.R.

I tried to fight it, folks.  I tried to talk sweet hubs out of the idea.  I tried to enroll T in other activities that were not so time-intensive.  I tried to delay the inevitable for yet another year. 

I was unsuccessful.

How could I say "no" to my little man?  How could I stand in the way of one of hubs' dreams coming true?  How could I not sign him up when I watched hubs' eyes light up when he talked about sharing that moment with his son? 

I'm a sucker.

Yes, guys, I have now watched MY life disappear.  I have watched my free time, if I even had any, dissipate.  I have seen my planner fill up to the brim...with BASEBALL. 

ugh.

My boy is no longer a sweet, loving, dependent baby.  I am no longer just his caretaker.  I have now become his official cheering section...for the next 13.5 years.  ::insert scream here::

Don't get me wrong, I want my darling boy to be a part of a team.  I want him to experience lots of different sports.  I want to raise an athlete.  Both hubs and I played, loved and got a lot out of organized sports.  I guess I just didn't realize the commitment we would have to make for a little boy on his first ever pitch baseball team.  I was shocked.  I started to panic, then I got a bit sad.  I know it's selfish.  Shame on me.  But I can't even imagine spending EVERY.SINGLE.FRIDAY.NIGHT until the middle of June sitting at a baseball field.  Not once a week, folks...twice...twice a week...for games!  This isn't even counting practices. 

I'm not saying that we have this stellar social life...quite the opposite actually...but that "down-time" is ours.  We can spend some quality family time together.  Friday nights are my favorite.  We have been doing dinner and movie nights for a while now, and I really look forward to it.  Just like that...it's gone. 

Now, I have to begin to imagine myself holding our squirmy almost 1-year-old daughter for God knows how long, while I hope T remembers what base to run to next.  I pray that my measly 1 (sometimes 2) times a week I go to the gym will not become zero.  I hope I won't resort to eating hot dogs and red ropes at the park as part as my normal diet.  ::eek::

But how can I say no to this boy?!? 

I can't.  period. 
And so it begins...