first cereal, take two

Olivia's first "real" cereal was the day before this photo was taken. Our camera batteries were dead and so I just figured we would take pictures the next time (poor second child). Too bad by the time "next time" rolled around she wasn't nearly as enthusiastic about it. The first time was great though. Nick and I were both cracking up laughing I don't think we would have gotten any pics anyway.

So here it is. The OFFICIAL first cereal pic.

{day one}

Just looking back at some of the photos from Olivia's birth. I cannot believe how much she has grown and changed in just four short months.

Here was our first little peek at sister.







It looks like Nick has some photo skills himself. LOVE these!

four month visit and no more boobie buffet

Olivia is growing "beautifully" as Dr. Lestz said. She said she couldn't ask for a more beautiful growth curve. Haha. I'm so proud. :)

weight: 15 lbs 7 oz (81%)
height: 26 in (93%)
head: 16.5 in (71%)
BMI: 16.05

She got four vaccines today. No fun. She cried and Luke watched. He was out the door in a flash after he watched sister get her shots. Little did he know he was getting a "surprise" flu shot today. Lucky for him, they were out of the regular vaccine and he qualified for the nasal spray. At first he reasoned with the nurse by telling her he didn't have a nose, therefore she could not give him the spray. Once a lolly pop was brought to the negotiation table he was game and flared his little nostrils for her. He laughed and said it tickled.

The doc said we are free to start rice cereal (started this last week) and can introduce barley or oat cereal next week. There really is no benefit to starting veggies and fruits until 6 months so I will try to hold her off until then with the rice cereal. She loves her cereal though and gets hysterical each time I have to take the spoon from her mouth to get more. I have pictures from her first cereal I will post soon.

She doesn't really roll over yet, still just doesn't care to, but she does do what we have termed "baby crunches". She lifts her head and shoulders off the ground like she is doing a sit up and holds it for several seconds. I was counting today and she did it at least ten times in a row. The girl has mad abs!

Oh, and our doc also advised me to stop allowing Olivia to sleep in bed with us and enjoy the boobie buffet all night long. She said feed her and put her back in bed immediately. Poor sister.

you know you are a mommy when...

...it takes all evening to find time to use the potty.

On our way back home (at 4pm) I began to feel like I needed to tinkle. We arrive home and both kids are asleep so I carry them in, unload the car, greet the hubby, and again I am reminded I need to tinkle. I begin to head towards the potty when Olivia wakes up screaming in her carseat. Her paci is in her ear, again. Don't ask. I help her, notice she needs a diaper change and head off to her room. I clean her up, put her in the swing in the living room and start back to the potty. I hear Luke wake up crying for me. I immediately go get him. He is always cranky when he wakes up and it takes him about 5-10 minutes of 'snuggle with mommy time' before he is ready to go. We sit on the couch and snuggle. As soon as we are sitting still, I am reminded again that I really need to go now. A few minutes pass and the hubby asks about dinner. I get Luke settled and realize it's 5:30 and I haven't started cooking yet. I head over to start the chicken before the kids start up again. It takes me three attempts to finally get the chicken started in between the paci patrolling, juice requests, and melt downs over Halloween candy (I wonder where he gets his sweet tooth??)...yada, yada, yada...and so on and so on. You get the idea.

Well...finally after dinner and while I am running Luke's bath water, I am sitting on the lid of the potty feeling the water and waiting for it to get warm so I can pull up the plug. I decide that I can take advantage of the moment and squeeze in a quick potty break. FINALLY! Just as I am finishing, Luke comes running around the corner with a handful of toys ready to take his bath.

Ahhh...the life of a mommy. I never thought I would have to schedule in my potty breaks. Such is life, I suppose.

let the truth be told

As the self-appointed, and by self-appointed I mean by default (it was either Lukey or me and we all know how the latter choice would have ended), keeper and hider of the Halloween candy, I cannot be trusted.

And since when did a bag of candy cost $12.99??? That's insane!

So, our two measly bags of candy (all 25 bucks worth) are slowly dwindling. Sorry, trick-or-treaters, but I really cannot help it. As long as there is chocolate in this house, you better believe I am stalking it. I find reasons to walk past the secret hiding place, I shove almond joys in my mouth behind Lukey's back...it's pretty sad actually.

So there it is...my awful confession. Now I can sleep better.

two year olds are so literal

I realized today that, if taken literally, I am kind of a scary mommy. I wonder why phrases like "come here, let me wipe your face off" and "let me brush your hair out" send the poor kid running a screaming. He is really scared!

trunk or treat

Our neighborhood mom's group put together a "trunk or treat" event last Friday and the kids had such a great time. Afterward, we all headed down to the park and had a pot-luck picnic and grilled out hot dogs. Luke refused to wear his "blue monster" costume. Surprise, surprise! I told him Buzz was dirty and we had to wash it and thought that would be a good enough explanation. Oh, no. I guess I should have known better. He did finally put on the top half of the costume, but would NOT let me pull the head piece up. Two year olds! Olivia, on the other hand, seemed to really enjoy being a pumpkin (despite her apparent lack of excitement in the photo below) and she stayed roastie, toastie all evening.



The Olivia Pumpkin



Me and the kids and our trunk





Me pooping a pumpkin. Nice pic, Honey :)

stacey and kelly's couples shower

Me and Stacey (my best friend and the bride-to-be)



Me and Nick



The girls (don't ask...I have no idea what I am doing with my head...haha)



Olivia and "Grandma" Wanda



Game time!

not so fast, sister

You will take one more picture with Buzz Lightyear, and you will LIKE it!

my crazy newphew, avery

Crazy already! Love it! I think he'll fit in with the boys just fine.

how cute is this frame!

more maternity

buzz and sister

Luke's new obsession...a buzz lightyear costume I found at a kid's consignment sale last week. He wears is ALL DAY LONG. It's the first thing he asks about in the morning and wants to know where it is at all times. He even wore it out to eat last night. Everyone was coming up to him saying "LOOK! It's Buzz Lightyear!" He would get the cutest grin on his face, almost like he was trying to be cool and didn't want to smile too big, but I could tell he was LOVING all the attention. Well at least until I took him to go potty and then he told me that he's not buzz lightyear anymore, in a very matter of fact way. He insisted on taking it off and all he had under it was his little spidey undies. I had to carry him through the restaurant half-dressed back to the table and change his clothes.

laurin's maternity photos

And, of course, the cutie patootie had to hijack a few shots.













I have a ton more to sort through, but just wanted to post a few tonight.

love this photo

I'm not quite sure what the fuss is over this photo, but I love it. I can't really say that I am an Angelina fan, but I do love seeing how real her life is. Not to mention, I give the girl serious props for not only breastfeeding twins, but also being the mom of six small kids.

I love what she said in a recent interview about Brad.

"'I'm with a man who's evolved enough to look at my body and see it as more beautiful, because of the journey it has taken and what it has created.'

'He genuinely sees it that way. So I genuinely feel even sexier.'"

the train table nick made

best grilled snapper recipe

We had this for dinner last night and it is delicious! This is the BEST snapper I have ever had. It's even better than the snapper we caught fresh in Florida and had cooked for us at a restaurant.

GRILLED SNAPPER FILLETS

1/2 c. olive oil
2 tbsp. granulated garlic
2 tbsp. lemon or lime juice
1 tbsp. dill weed
1 tbsp. ground mustard
2 tbsp. hot sauce

Oil to coat grill (gas grill). Use a split, hand held fillet grill, turning fillets frequently. Mix all ingredients, but add lemon and hot sauce last. Mixture will be curdly looking but normal. Place fillets in oil coated split grill and put on hot gas grill. Use basting brush, mix and spread on fillets, turn fillets over and repeat basting. Continue turning and basting until mix is used up. Keep grill hot enough for oil to drip off and smoke. Keep gas grill closed as much as possible. Grilling time is 25 minutes. Do not over cook. Fillets should be bubbly brown in spots and have little crispy edges. This has proven to be a non-fish favorite. Serves 2-3, 3/4 lb. filets.

new favorite hang out

Boomer-rangs, Boomer-rangs!

We're going to play at Boomer-rangs!

This is the little song we've come to sing as we chugga-chugga out the door to our new favorite hang out.

We LOVE this place! Luke runs around like a wild indian until his little legs turn into noodles and he has bounced all his bounces out. While Olivia and I sit and relax at one of the tables and enjoy a nice BIG diet coke. Me...not Olivia.

we got it

Rest assured, everyone, we finally found a buzz lightyear. If you've talked to me lately, you would know that I have been slightly stressed out about this.

My sister snagged one at Target last night for us and now it is safely hidden away in our closet until "Santa Claus comes down the chimney, eats up the cookies, and leaves it on the fireplace." Whew! I was starting to get a little worried.

To infinity and beyond!!!

a couple of luke funnies

{yesterday} I am at my wits end with him. It's 6pm and I am counting down the minutes until Nick makes it home. Luke insists on picking out his own sippy cup. He is standing on the kitchen counter, with me behind him, with his finger on his chin, going "hmmmm...hmmmm". This goes on for at least two minutes. I finally say "okay, Luke, pick one out or mommy is going to pick it out for you."

He responds by saying "Please not make me upset, mommy".


{today} I am attempting to fold laundry and Luke walks up to me and says "you wanna play with me?" "Please not be afraid of me, mommy". Haha. He kind of startled me when he came up and I guess I must have looked scared.

what have we been up to lately, you ask???

...oh, you know. A little of this, a little of that...mainly, a little of that.

bumbo

i'm happy at you

{all the things i love about today}

synchronized napping

a clean house

mostly done laundry

all the fixin's for some yummy, gooey ice cream sundaes

seeing my son apologize for pushing his cousin and then smiling and telling him he is still his best friend, completely on his own.

new APPLE GREEN curtains in the kitchen

overhearing Luke and Kailey's conversation wherein Luke said "i'm mad at you" and Kailey responded by saying "i'm happy at you".

bunco

oh, and that shamefully greasy burger and fries i had for lunch (now i can't eat until tomorrow according to my weight watchers plan)

looking back

I was going through some shots I took of Olivia the first week she was home. It's amazing to see how much she has changed already. I love the natural grain in this shot.

Again, click on it to see the whole picture. I hate that my flickr pics always get cut off. Have to try and fix that.

olivia defined

more baby shower pics

cheeto man

Luke's new favorite snack...all natural cheetos...not sure how cheetos could be "natural" but that's what it says and it makes me feel better.

So here's to cheetos!

laurin's baby shower

Laurin's baby shower was this morning and I'd say it was a success. Everything ran smoothly and everyone seemed to have a good time. The cake was adorable and the food was de-lish!



This cracks me up...Laurin unveils the belly...her friend, Tara's, face says it all. For some reason my pictures get a little cut off on here...click on it to see more of Tara's face...haha!



All the girls together...



And finally, one of La-La with Kailey, who was a little confused this morning about the party. She thought it was a party for Laurin's baby to come out...haha! Amy had to try and clear that up. Kailey is the bestest big cousin ever.

can i just say

...how much I love Palin?? She is such a breath of fresh air. What a fun debate to watch. Palin totally kicked Biden's hiney!

more tootsies

Oh, how I love her little tootsies...