Favorite Things

Totally stole from Amy(Wade's World) this morning...it is always a good reminder to share your lastest favs! Lots of things I love and keep to myself others I am glad to share...so here are my favorite things of today!

1. My OXO Tot bottle brush!! it is pretty awesome. I love the stand it came with and that it is sturdy and cleans the bottles. I hand wash and use the dishwasher on the bottles. Using the dishwasher is quick but we do not fill it up quite as fast as we use the bottles. Not wanting to buy more bottles....we end up handwashing alot. I have it in pink and love it!!

2. Summertime Swaddleme pods. Olivia would not get any sleep if we did not have these. After two weeks of her breaking my swaddle job I brough one to try. LORD HAVE MERCY is was a great night. It has been since we have used these. There are nights she still does not sleep the best but she is not screaming because she wacked herself! Now...I just need to figure out what I am going to do when it is time to unswaddle her.

3. Puddle jumper! My best friend for Lily Anne!! She puts this on and can go all over the pool with no worries at all!!!! She is my swimmer and loves the pool thanks to Lindsay for letting us come over all summer to enjoy. I really would not know what to do without you Lindsay!!! lots of hugs!

4. Pre-mixed drinks! I love them because they are quick and easy. (oh and mighty tasty!) After the kids are sleep Mich and I like to sit on the back porch and talk. This is our adult time and sometimes our only sanity moment of the day.

So, my few favorite things, while simple and a short list....

Sleep is wonderful

So all my complaining....We all slept last night!!!! Soon as we got both girls in bed, we went to bed too. 9:30pm....our house was dark and quiet!

Lily Anne is a great sleeper anyways! Olivia slept FINALLY! long bath with sister (lots of excitement from both), just a onesie, swaddleme, and one thin blanket. Brought out the sleep positoner with the incline...Olivia slept great! I think the small amount of reflux is waking her up and the breaking out the arms..which I fixed!

Magic juice...is called a full night sleep! I even feel better today then I have in the last two weeks.

I need to verbal blog! I can think of a million things to say in the shower...but when I sit to type I am drawing a blank... Does the mind just go to sleep, push pause, or stand still? I do not think so.

so I will share some funny stories on potty training...or at least to me.

1. Potty training...parent torture!!! Being stuck in the house for weekends trying to get to a toddler to understand body functions. Farting...the eyes of did that just occurr. Followed by her turning in circles to look at what come out. (Much like a dog chasing its tail.)

2. The words "I go potty"...can mean so many things!!!
alternate meanings.....I already went and you need to clean me or the floor.
I have to go now RUN!
I really just want to see your response....JUST KIDDING
I really have to go and I want the surprise first.

3. I now understand why I have always told her to sit and put her legs down in front of her. Lily Anne sat there and put her feet up on the seat .... only to then pee. ummm.. I saw a fountain start...que the quiet laughter from me and at the sametime Lily Anne feet down!!!! Lord have mercy!

4. Why liltte girl and boys should not share bathrooms... Lily Anne treid to pee in the toilet standing up last night!!!! Funny, but I had to really not laugh and tell her to sit down. Girls sit to pee!

5. Lily Anne gave me hig fives for peeing in the potty. Even told me I need to wipe with TP! thanks dear, mommy did not need that lesson.

so...life happens.

but the best of stories. A little embrassing but it is life... Lily Anne and a bandaid.
Mommy is having a moment on the potty and trying hard to hide the panty liner in her panties. One curious child told me. Mommy diaper! I said yup. She immediately pulled her big girl panties down to look. Her panties were empty...she was shocked. Her solution...take her bandaid off her knee and try to place in her panites.

Seriously!!!!! I died right there.....what do you do or say to that. Oh my days are numbered!!!!

Monday Blues

Oh it is back to work! I have been so out of it! Last week was sick Monday and Tuesday with strep...horrible. I am still feeling pretty yuck...but I am trying to finding the magic juice to make it better. MICH!!!!! HELP ME PLEASE!!!

So, on to the girls....oh my girls. I love them, OH I LOVE THEM! Lily Anne is my heart melter! She finally hit the OMG, I love the potty! Since last Monday she has been in big girl panties! She has not pooped in them only in the potty! I can not say how happy and proud I am of her. Finally, a light bulb!!! I have been not bragging for fear of the dreaded JINX!!!!

So, lets hope this continues for the next million years! This morning she melted my heart. I got the girls in the car ready for Mich to take to daycare. Lily Anne rolls her window down and says: "mama, come here." I race to the window thinking it is for another kiss. Well that did happen, but she pulled my face close and said " I love you, mama". Seriously, the tears in the eyes were huge!!!! I love my little girl!!!!

Olivia...dear lord. She has cheeks for days, rolling thighs....all things Lily Anne NEVER had! I am in love with each roll. Yup she is chucky, but I am a proud mama!!! She smiles at me for days. But last night at 2am for a paci replacement...the smiles were really not welcomed. This sick mama is dragging! She is not sleeping at night like she started out doing...we are up several times with paci replacement, retighten the swaddle...yeah I have the swaddleme pods...but we wrap another blanket for warmth...how she likes it. But this is getting old. I have tried several times to leave a arm out, loosen the swaddle ....all things to try to unswaddle her...all FAILING! I am guessing it is what it is.....motto.

so, I guess photos would be great...

wow...I forgot about the blog

Life has been so busy!!!!!

I enjoyed my maternity leave to the fullest. Olivia is doing wonderful. She is adjusting well to daycare. I am adjusting okay....not to the new price each week. Anyway, Lily Anne is growing and becoming one incredible big sister. She is constantly asking to feed or help with Olivia. The girls are starting to form a bond...I noticed that few mornings ago. Lily Anne was talking to Olivia and Olivia had her full attention on Lily Anne and was laughing and smiling. I could have cried right then.

Potty training....Lily Anne took a HUGE slide backwards after Olivia's arrival. Just this week she is making huge steps forward. Told me that pullups are for babies and demanded she wear panties. So, she has been wonderful in the mornings and evening with going to the potty. LOVE IT!!!! She is even using the potty several times a day at school again. So hopefully we are on the road to success in the potty room.

Olivia....she growing by leaps and bounds daily. She laughs and coos all the time except when hungry or tired. She is rolling machine. She can roll belly to back and back to belly. She found her hands pretty quick....but she found her feet last night. Hard to believe that she is almost 4 months...where is time going????

Going back to work has been harder on me this time than it was with Lily Anne. I am struggling to find my way back to working me. My mind wonders several times a day.... Maternity leave with Lily Anne was about struggling with becoming a mom, new worries, new everything...I wanted normal life again...working!!! But this time, maternity leave was so relaxing, enjoyment, loving my new expanded family. Yes, at first it was hard...but things went normal quickly. I found myself each day not wanting to go back to work. But I am not wired as a Stay at Home Mom gal. So all good things must end.

It has been 25 days....really...19 days....but I struggle each day to sit and remain focused at the task at hand. A million things run through the mind...maybe it is my job, maybe it is me...ie. Le sigh...my mind will catch on and focus eventually.

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It's the small moments ....

It truly is the small things that make me happy. It makes each day enjoyable. Lily Anne came home from school yesterday all smiles. Her smiles lights up the room. She has a strong personality....sometimes it gets the best of her, but yesterday she shared her smiles with the camera.

Olivia slept most of yesterday...must be so NICE!! And gave us a pretty good night of sleep. only waking at 12am for food, then 2am for the paci.

oh the paci...I could curse it....but I love that it comforts her.

Chin Up or should I said Head Up.

What more can I say than "sisters". Lily Anne shared her blanket with Olivia this morning. Lily Anne does not share it with anyone or anything. But this was them on the couch watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.

Then it was off to school (daycare) for Lily Anne and work for Daddy. Me and Olivia enjoyed some music and Olivia showing me she is growing up. She is starting to gain some head control and lifting it off the ground.

After all that working out she napped in her swing for the morning. Oh the life!!!

Trying to get life to normal....

The joys of having Two under Two.... life has been so interesting. Actually the house got turned upside down and we are now finding our way to our "new" comfortable life. Some things are easier the second time around and then there are things that are harder than ever.

Lily Anne is adjusting very well to being a big sister. Although we have more meltdowns because she has to share the spot light with everyone (including Mom and Dad). This alone is her biggest adjustment. She loves her sister and kisses her all the time. Lily Anne has really taken to her baby dolls and whatever I do with Olivia she does to her baby dolls. I love watching her play mommy.

Lily Anne talks so much now and repeats almost everything. I am working so hard on her saying "olivia"...she just looks at me funny. So she calls her "O" or Baby.

Olivia is a growing weed. Each day brings a new joy and smile to our faces. She is still fitting into her new born clothes. She is a peanut! She is so different from her sister. She is very calm and chill. (except when hungry, wet, tired or gassy) We have had a time trying to find the right bottle and formula. After a few tries we are on a good road.

Mom and Dad....we are making it and taking each day as it comes. No two days are the same. I am enjoying my maternity leave and taking it easy while I can. Somedays are extremely boring others I barely have time to shower.

I have stopped breastfeeding. Olivia was so much better than Lily Anne ever was at it. But it is just not for me. First, I hate the emotional roller coaster it puts me on. (the constant worry) Second, I hate not being able to go to far or a long time because of the feeding schedule. Third, I love spending time with Lily Anne and I felt like I was always feeding. I tried to pump to see if that would help...nope...so we started to wean. Forth, my boobs are just not the best milks makers...enough said!
**Now with that said...I did love the feeling of being so close to Olivia and the bond.

so for now...Olivia's newborns.

Olivia's Arrival

Olivia Claire made her own arrival on Mother's Day. May 8th at 4:22am.. weighing 5lbs 15ozs, 19in long. She is a little peanut...but brings so much joy to our household.

So, Saturday we chilled out with Lily Anne. Went for a walk in the cool morning, Mich and I talked about the changes that were coming on Wednesday. We played in the back yard and soaked up some sun and Lily Anne enjoyed the kiddie pool.
After dinner and putting Lily Anne down for bed. Mich told me I could relaxed and sleep in on Sunday. He and Lily Anne will be making breakfast and I was so happy! So I took a nice bath and got ready for bed. After the bath, I started having braxton hicks, SO I THOUGHT! But after 45 minutes of them not stopping. I grabbed a bottle of water and some Coco Pebbles...yeah I know. But I thought maybe I need food and water. Nope...nothing was helping. I grabbed my cell and starting timing them. The contractions were all over the place. So I told Mich that I was in some pain. After about a few more, it became unbearable and brought on some tears. I called the Dr. and my parents. Then called my best friend Crystal to sit with Lily Anne (who was sound a sleep) at the house until my parents arrived.

Once at the hospital, the nursed checked me and said "oh, you are about 5cm, you are staying and do you want a epi?" yes! please. So, L&D Room 4... the anth..came in to do the epi, saying "wow she is so calm and queit for someone who is 7/7.5cm" I thought WTH...then I figured the nurse lied to get the epi quicker. Which I did not complain. Well, bust my bubble. The nurse told me once the epi was in that I truly was 7/7.5cm and she did not want me to freak out.

So after 3 hours....Olivia Claire came out as beautiful as can be. We were so proud!!!!

Lily Anne meeting Olivia Claire for the first time.....she loved her.
Mich's dad with Lily Anne and Olivia
Small moments are the ones we charish the most!

38 weeks and School Photos

How Far Along: 38.5 weeks

Total Weight Gain/Loss: 24lbs.... no change

Is your nursery done? as much as it is going to be at the moment.

Are you getting nervous? yes...but more about bringing her home and Lily Anne's reaction. I am excited that she is coming really soon!

Have you dropped yet? yes, OH YES!!!

Any other signs that baby is on their way? I have contractions (to which I refer as Braxton Hicks) that are all over the place. However, I am dilated to 3 or 3.5 cm.

How do you feel in general? I feel pretty good. I am not sleeping very much at night but I wake up in a good mood...GO FIGURE.

What are you getting the most excited about? to actually have her in my arms.

Any big fears or concerns? how will Lily Anne adjust once we are all home. Having a newborn again scares me a little.

What is in your hospital bag? cord blood kit, her coming home outfit, pjs for me and pjs for Mich.... need to work on the rest.

Are you exercising? Yup, about 2 miles of walking at night. I have since the start...except on bad weather days.

How many more days until D-Day? um.... ?? but Eviction day is May 11th at 5:30am

What are you doing to keep yourself occupied if you’re on leave already? I am still working! keeps my mind distracted.

******************************************************************************

School photos.... the joys of them. This year they had Teddy Bear Portraits do them. I am not impressed at all. First they are very EXPENSIVE!!!! Second, you get to view them at the center and you must purchase on the spot. Um, no thanks! For $150...you can keep the packet you put together!

But I was horrible...I took photos with my cell...