the neuenschwander family

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2011-05-20T01:54:00.001-07:00

a few things to note...

2011-05-19T09:43:00.001-07:00

...about our trip to kelsey creek park today.

1. this was the first time we've done an activity like this where adalaide was able to get out of the stroller and walk. i wish i'd had my video camera, because she was so proud of herself and just kept squealing.

2. two boys were being really nasty to finley at the playground. i kept waiting for one of their oblivious dads to say something, and just when i was about to intervene i heard finley say, "don't talk to me like that. it's mean!" i was so proud of her for standing up for herself, especially knowing how shy she is around new people.

3. someone thought i was a nanny. again. i'm sure in twenty years looking young will be a compliment, but i'm ready to stop looking sixteen. maybe i need some new clothes? more makeup? hmmm.

4. on the way home we chatted about the boys at the park who were unkind. finley asked, "why can't jesus come down from the sky and talk to those boys?" moments like that melt my heart.

a few things to note...

2011-05-19T09:43:00.000-07:00

...about our trip to kelsey creek park today.

3. someone thought i was a nanny. again. i'm sure in twenty years looking young will be a compliment, but i'm ready to stop looking sixteen. maybe i need some new clothes? more makeup? hmmm.

4. on the way home we chatted about the boys at the park who were unkind. finley asked, "why can't jesus come down from the sky and talk to those boys?" moments like that melt my heart.

lyla { 5 weeks }

2011-05-18T02:39:00.001-07:00

lyla { 5 weeks }

2011-05-18T02:39:00.000-07:00

mama's day

2011-05-09T09:50:00.001-07:00

This year i am feeling incredibly blessed. i have so much in my heart that i am thankful for, but lack of sleep is leaving me at a loss for words. Thank goodness I already wrote my cards! So, I'll just say this: I love/appreciate/admire my mothers more than words can say, and I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE being a mama these girls. It's not always easy, or pretty, or fun, but it is the best job in the whole wide world. a true gift from God.

mama's day

2011-05-09T09:50:00.000-07:00

easter weekend

2011-05-01T02:01:00.001-07:00

look who's FINALLY walking-a few days shy of turning 14 months old!

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVUiSjxTg2U?rel=0&hd=1&w=560&h=349]

easter weekend

2011-05-01T02:01:00.000-07:00

look who's FINALLY walking-a few days shy of turning 14 months old!

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVUiSjxTg2U?rel=0&hd=1&w=560&h=349]

easter weekend

2011-04-26T11:06:00.001-07:00

easter weekend

2011-04-26T11:06:00.000-07:00

lyla girl { 2 weeks }

2011-04-26T10:20:00.001-07:00

lyla girl { 2 weeks }

2011-04-26T10:20:00.000-07:00

my babies

2011-04-22T01:50:00.001-07:00

p.s. we are really ready for some sunshine

p.p.s how cute is adalaide in her new suit! those thighs!

p.p.s.s she peed and pooped on my rug immediately following this picture.

not so cute.

my babies

2011-04-22T01:50:00.000-07:00

p.s. we are really ready for some sunshine

p.p.s how cute is adalaide in her new suit! those thighs!

p.p.s.s she peed and pooped on my rug immediately following this picture.

not so cute.

maybe this is one of those things...

2011-04-19T03:37:00.001-07:00

that is only hilarious to us because we're finley's parents. or maybe it really is funny, i don't know. finley loves to sing and dance and she loves to have an audience. she calls us into the playroom to watch performances like these several times a day. i love it! and please note her signature move around 2:15. she pulls this move out during all the dramatic parts of a song.

so without further ado, i give you our future broadway star..

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7XPAjVfBUw?rel=0&hd=1]

maybe this is one of those things...

2011-04-19T03:37:00.000-07:00

so without further ado, i give you our future broadway star..

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7XPAjVfBUw?rel=0&hd=1]

lyla's first week

2011-04-15T12:03:00.001-07:00

It's hard to believe our first week with Lyla is already behind us. She is the most tiny, snuggly, perfect little thing {i'm allowed to say that right?}. She eats like it is going out of style, sleeps most deeply during the day {argh!}, and has proven to have a high tolerance for noise and a certain 'helpful' sister shoving a binky in her eye. Our first couple days at home had me nervous, to be honest. Finley tried every naughty trick in the book to attract some extra attention, and Adalaide just wanted her mama to pick her up- which i wasn't supposed to do right after my surgery. Of course things have calmed down, we're settling in to life with 3 and trying to soak up every second of lyla's newborn yumminess.

also, this week we took miss adalaide in for her 12 month check up {a little late-oops}

weight: 24 lbs 75th %

height: 32 in. above 100th %

you'd think that her ginormous legs would have her walking by now. no. close, but not quite yet.

lyla's first week

2011-04-15T12:03:00.000-07:00

also, this week we took miss adalaide in for her 12 month check up {a little late-oops}

weight: 24 lbs 75th %

height: 32 in. above 100th %

you'd think that her ginormous legs would have her walking by now. no. close, but not quite yet.

lyla's first week

2011-04-15T11:16:00.001-07:00

lyla's first week

2011-04-15T11:16:00.000-07:00

lyla's birth

2011-04-12T04:40:00.001-07:00

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZURXwNChM2Q?rel=0&hd=1&w=480&h=390]

if for some reason you have trouble viewing this, or the resolution is really bad you can watch it here as well..

lyla's birth

lyla's birth

2011-04-12T04:40:00.000-07:00

smitten

2011-04-10T13:28:00.001-07:00

more coimg soon...

smitten

2011-04-10T13:28:00.000-07:00

more coimg soon...

the night i tried to eat my way into labor...

2011-03-31T02:38:00.001-07:00

date nights. we've never been good about making them happen regularly, but with so much family close by, it's certainly a lot easier-thanks Grandma! last night we went out to a nice dinner for the first time in FOREVER. nice meaning-price, deliciousness, and the fact that we savored several courses. my clothes were busting at the seams before we went, but i seriously thought brian might have to cut me out of my outfit after we ate. a {possibly intoxicated} man at the table next to us inquired about how i possibly had room for my large plate of food, and also wondered if i was carrying more than one baby. nope. just one. along with some spinach and artichoke dip, bread, blue cheese salad, steak, vegetables and potato pancakes. if anyone ever went into labor from stuffing themselves full, it would have surely happened to me last night. but i'm here, still pregnant and actually still very full. unlike my husband who left the restaurant complaining that he was 'stuffed all the way up into his throat', and then proceeded to come home and start eating again.

the night i tried to eat my way into labor...

2011-03-31T02:38:00.000-07:00

the latest

2011-03-16T10:42:00.001-07:00

:: we've spent lots of time hanging at home-baking, organizing baby stuff, and relaxing

:: brian has been working 6 or 7 days a week in preparation for slowing down in april. i don't like it. not one bit.

:: adalaide is OBSESSED with her doll. she lays on it, kisses it, and pokes the eyes. it's quite cute, but also slightly worrisome as i'll never be able to leave her and the baby in the same room alone.

:: adalaide is saying "dada" {first official word} "mama" and "nigh-night"

:: after 3 1/2 years finley watched her first real movie-the little mermaid. she is hooked!

:: i'm starting to get a little nervous about adding another baby into the mix. we always assumed adalaide would be walking by the time the baby came, and since she most likely won't be i'm wondering what life will be like with two babies on my hip. there are moments {like at fred meyer when i have to pee while holding ada, while swatting away finley's hand before she sticks it in the sanitary disposal thing, while pulling up my maternity jeans with one hand} that i seriously think, oh man what's it gonna be like with 3! I know we'll just make it work, and pretty soon i won't know any different. But i know it's going to be a big adjustment, and i'm a little nervous.

that being said,

:: I am so stinkin' excited to meet this baby. i snuggled a tiny newborn last night and it made it so real/exciting that we'll be holding our own girl in a few weeks. i cannot wait.

:: also, in case you are wondering why my head is cut off in all my photos, it's not me trying to be artistic. it's very tricky to take a picture with the self timer. perhaps i need to solicit my husband for help next time...

the latest

2011-03-16T10:42:00.000-07:00

:: we've spent lots of time hanging at home-baking, organizing baby stuff, and relaxing

baby girl

2011-03-01T11:32:00.001-08:00

baby girl

2011-03-01T11:32:00.000-08:00

my thoughts on: c-sections

2011-02-25T05:41:00.001-08:00

let me just warn you upfront. this is going to be kind of journaly. i've had these thoughts milling around in my head for a while, and i just need to get them out and written down.

after my labor with finley, we knew we were in store for more c-sections. here's why...

my labor was totally the opposite of a text-book labor. my first contractions were really painful and close together {3 minutes on the dot}. i labored at home from friday night around 8 until sunday morning, when my midwife decided we needed to head for the hospital. she couldn't explain why my body wouldn't dialate past 6, but she knew we needed an epidural, pitocin, and sleep. as soon as i got settled in the hospital bed, my water broke and things started to progress. when it came time to push i was so happy that my epidural was weak enough that i could still feel everything happening. my nurses and midwife coached me, brian held my legs, and it was exactly how i always pictured it. except after a while we realized nothing was happening. her head never budged. we tried different positions and techniques, my midwife tried rotating finley's head, and nothing was helping. after two hours my midewife made it clear that she didn't think i'd be able to deliever finley. there were some other things going on {i developed a fever, and finley's heartrate had dropped}, but the main concern was that her gosh darn head would not come down even a teensy tiny bit. i asked her to let me try pushing for one more hour. so for one more hour we pushed, switched positions, pushed, and nothing. so we were whisked off for surgery. during the surgery i tried not to listen to the doctors and all the surgery sounds. i kept focused on brian's face, and tried to pay attention while he distracted me. still though, i heard the operating team say things like, 'get me a stool. the baby is really wedged in the birth canal. i need more leverage'. and 'we need a nurse to push her head up from the outside'. finally they got her out. she was blue, not crying, and not moving. they slapped her a few times, gave her some oxygen, and she gave out the most glorious scream. when brian was able to bring her over to me, it was love at first sight. despite the fact that she had the WORST cone head and laceration on the top of her head. the poor thing really, truly was stuck in my pelvis. during my recovery my midwife tried to explain what had happened. she told us that my pelvis isn't shaped like most peoples, and i would never be able to deliver naturally. at the time, i was too googely eyed over my beautiful girl to really process or care about what she was telling me.

i couldn't have asked for a better recovery, it was fast, and i wasn't in too much pain. two and half years later it was time for adalaide to join the world. i knew i'd be having another c-section, and i had mostly come to terms with it. i found that having a repeat, planned c-section was 1,000 times better. i was prepared emotionally. and this time my body and baby, hadn't gone through a long, stressful labor. the mood in the OR was lighthearted. my midwife, the surgeon and the nurses worked to make my experience as special as could be, given the situation. and again i had an amazing recovery.

now, baby no. 3 is right around the corner, and i wish more than anything that i could deliver naturally. you have no idea. i've watched friends and family deliever babies {my sisters do it at home in horse troughs!!!} and every part of me wishes i could do it too {maybe not the horse trough part}. no matter how i spin it, c-sections are not ideal. i'm thankful that we have them, but they aren't ideal.

but as i've been working through my disappointment and praying about it, i had this thought: God knows me. He knows my heart and my desires. I believe He gave me that crazy, unusally long, incredibly memorable labor with finley, so that i could have that experience. so that i could remember it forever. And i do. I still remember every single detail. especially the hours i spent pushing, looking to brian while he counted and encouraged me. As much as I wish it didn't have to be this way, I feel so thankful for my experience.

No matter how many kids join our family, I'll only have one true labor story to tell. But isn't God wonderful for giving me a doozy of a story?

my thoughts on: c-sections

2011-02-25T05:41:00.000-08:00

adalaide's first birthday

2011-02-23T01:48:00.001-08:00

it's an interesting thing being pregnant and extra emotional when your baby turns one. i teared up during brian's prayer for her at her party. i teared up looking back at the photos from her birth. and i could probably tear up right now just trying to put words to how much we love our little adalaide.

from the day i met her i've had this urge to just eat her, or squeeze her or kiss her to death. do you know what i mean, or does that sound creepy? some babies just do that to me, and she's one of them {probably has a lot to do with her adorable chubby thighs}. she joined our family with such ease and made the transition to two kids incredibly easy and enjoyable. even through all her illness this winter, she's been one of the least demanding babies i know.

she is a dynamic little thing. she's mostly loud, silly, and on the go all the time. but she can be very shy and reserved in certain settings. she wants her family right by her side at all times. she's always been this way, so i'd venture to say it's a part of her personality and not just stranger anxiety. she always warms up to new people and new settings-she just wants to do it on her terms and in her timing.

she is loving. so extremely loving, and affectionate. please lord, let her always have such a loving spirit. she loves to snuggle and give hugs. throughout the day she crawls over to me and gives me big, slobbery kisses-all on her own without me asking. when brian comes home from work she needs to spend a couple of minutes loving on him. if this time doesn't happen, she'll follow him around making it known that she needs something.

she loves her big sister. before having our second child i never would have imagined how fast a bond develops between siblings. even though the age gap is quite obvious at this stage, they really are buddies. she needs to be in the same room as finley at all times, eating the same food, and playing with the same toys. the cute thing is, for the most part finley loves it and reciprocates it. i love listening to them giggle and play together. seriously, there's no better sound.

things that she loves: her blankie, baths, playing in finley's bed, strawberries, sneaking into the bathroom to unroll the toilet paper, reading books, going to the park, and dancing.

this weekend we had some family over to celebrate her special day. it was the kind of party i think she'd ask for if she could-simple.

i made her a special pink cake, but wondered to myself if she'd actually eat it. she hasn't had sugar before, and doesn't particularly enjoy getting messy.

sure enough, she hated it. she barely touched it and grimaced every time she had a taste of it.

on her actual birthday i made her something i knew she'd love. strawberries! covered in whip cream, of course, so i could get the classic 'messy face' picture.

we love our little adalaide may so much. this year with her has been such a joy, and she's been such a blessing to our family. even though i'd love for her to stay our adorable chubby baby forever, we can't wait to watch her grow into a little lady.

happy first birthday, adalaide!

and just for fun...

adalaide's first birthday

2011-02-23T01:48:00.000-08:00

things that she loves: her blankie, baths, playing in finley's bed, strawberries, sneaking into the bathroom to unroll the toilet paper, reading books, going to the park, and dancing.

this weekend we had some family over to celebrate her special day. it was the kind of party i think she'd ask for if she could-simple.

i made her a special pink cake, but wondered to myself if she'd actually eat it. she hasn't had sugar before, and doesn't particularly enjoy getting messy.

sure enough, she hated it. she barely touched it and grimaced every time she had a taste of it.

on her actual birthday i made her something i knew she'd love. strawberries! covered in whip cream, of course, so i could get the classic 'messy face' picture.

happy first birthday, adalaide!

and just for fun...

Happy Birthday Mama!

2011-02-21T22:21:00.001-08:00

This is the last year my wife can say she's in her twenties and I feel it necessary to reciprocate words of praise on her special day (which was yesterday). First off, what a wonderful mom for sharing her birthday with her beloved daughter. Doesn't get much more selfless then that. And for all of you who know Meghan, you know that the birthday is possibly the most important day of celebration in ones life. This is obviously reflected in how much time and effort she puts into giving me and her daughters the best birthdays ever. If only I had a cloning machine to make another Meghan to throw herself a party. One can dream! She really knows how to go the extra mile to make us feel loved and important and we are so blessed. Plus she is an awesome party thrower; And Pregnant! Anyway...for all you people who enjoy this thing called the blogosphere, I just wanted you to know how much I do appreciate and love my wife. She is the BEST. So happy birthday honey. May it be our best year yet!

Happy Birthday Mama!

2011-02-21T22:21:00.000-08:00

weekend of l-o-v-e

2011-02-15T09:07:00.001-08:00

brian and i went on a little date. we ate yummy food. slowly. and actually conversed with one another. it was quite lovely, and i feel motivated to make it happen more than, oh twice a year. also, someone may have needed to loosen their belt on the ride home. and it wasn't brian.

we baked treats for vday

and put together special goodies for our friends. cute cards from here.

we made a special valentine for brian

which was fun for a while...

until it wasn't anymore.

good weekend, for sure.

weekend of l-o-v-e

2011-02-15T09:07:00.000-08:00

we baked treats for vday

and put together special goodies for our friends. cute cards from here.

we made a special valentine for brian

which was fun for a while...

until it wasn't anymore.

good weekend, for sure.

our lovely weekend

2011-02-14T03:20:00.001-08:00

our lovely weekend

2011-02-14T03:20:00.000-08:00

to our most favorite guy in the whole wide world,

2011-02-13T08:10:00.001-08:00

we love you.

xoxoxo

from, your girls

to our most favorite guy in the whole wide world,

2011-02-13T08:10:00.000-08:00

we love you.

xoxoxo

from, your girls

can i give some advice?

2011-02-10T01:05:00.001-08:00

on my old blog i had a tracking thingy installed that told me where my visitors came from and how they got to my blog. one day i saw that someone {from germany} had gotten to our page from google by typing in some crass pedophile search. since then i've been much more mindful about the content i post on our blog, and the words that i use in a given post. WordPress offers a different, far less informative, tracking thing that is built into my blog. it doesn't tell me much, but it does keep track of visitors who come via a search engine {google} and what words they searched for. luckily the person who came by our site this week, didn't find what they were looking for, but it's still disturbing nonetheless. and since most of the people who check our blog have family blogs themselves, i felt the need to share a bit of advice. be careful what photos you post. be mindful of your words. even if you aren't writing about something inappropriate, a google search pulls words out of various sentences. ok, that's all.

have a good day :)

can i give some advice?

2011-02-10T01:05:00.000-08:00

etsy: girly edition

2011-02-08T08:04:00.001-08:00

i'm feeling on top of the world right now. my mil came over to watch the girls this morning so i could go to mom's group. it's almost scary how much i enjoyed those few hours...having a peaceful car ride with my sister-in-law, being able to carry on a conversation without three billion interruptions. i love my little ones, but let's just say i needed some 'me time'. i feel like a new woman-thanks grandma!

anyway...

my due date is sneaking up on us, and even though this girl doesn't need a single thing, i still have the desire to get her {or make her} a little something. i've been looking on etsy for some special little girl things and these are some of my favorites...

from here

i'll take one of these for all 3 girls. from here

and what the heck, i'll take 3 of these as well. from here

can't you just picture some chubby little legs in these!

this is my belated christmas gift that i'll order after no. 3 makes her arrival. from here

i love etsy. and i love window shopping...especially for little girls.

etsy: girly edition

2011-02-08T08:04:00.000-08:00

anyway...

from here

i'll take one of these for all 3 girls. from here

and what the heck, i'll take 3 of these as well. from here

can't you just picture some chubby little legs in these!

this is my belated christmas gift that i'll order after no. 3 makes her arrival. from here

i love etsy. and i love window shopping...especially for little girls.

bounce

2011-02-05T10:12:00.001-08:00

what were you doing at 9:30 on this saturday morning?
sleeping? enjoying a lazy breakfast?

i was going into premature labor at the bouncy house down the street.
isn't it funny that our town doesn't have a grocery store, starbucks, or stop light, but we have an amazing bouncy house?

finley and i went on a little date a few weeks ago and discovered this little gem, and i have to say it is incredibly fun.

and just because this picture makes me die laughing every time i look at it...

she tried on these boots at target last week. and apparently this is the pose you do when wearing boots.

bounce

2011-02-05T10:12:00.000-08:00

what were you doing at 9:30 on this saturday morning?
sleeping? enjoying a lazy breakfast?

i was going into premature labor at the bouncy house down the street.
isn't it funny that our town doesn't have a grocery store, starbucks, or stop light, but we have an amazing bouncy house?

finley and i went on a little date a few weeks ago and discovered this little gem, and i have to say it is incredibly fun.

and just because this picture makes me die laughing every time i look at it...

she tried on these boots at target last week. and apparently this is the pose you do when wearing boots.

february

2011-02-03T06:57:00.001-08:00

february is a good month. obviously we've got valentine's day to celebrate, as well as mine and adalaide's birthday. my birthday isn't really that big of a deal to me, but i'll tell ya what is.... my baby's birthday. her FIRST birthday. We're putting together a party that is fit just for her. small and simple, but a special party nonetheless. even though we're only having a couple people over i couldn't resist putting together an invitation- you know, for baby book purposes.

{front}

{back}

february

2011-02-03T06:57:00.000-08:00

{front}

{back}

adalaide

2011-02-01T08:07:00.001-08:00

a message to our friends:

we are going into hibernation.
unless you can tell me where to get a child size bubble {a la seinfeld}
she has been sick non-stop since halloween.
it is sad for her.
it is sad for us.
we miss our friends.
we miss being social.
but, if you are sick, stay far, FAR away.

love, the neuenschwanders

all kidding aside. she really has had a rough couple months. so much so, we had her doctor do some blood work to make sure nothing serious was weakening her immune system. praise the lord, the tests came back fine. but, in an attempt to let her body rebound we've been advised to lay low for a couple weeks.

and just because she's so gosh darn cute {even sick}...

adalaide

2011-02-01T08:07:00.000-08:00

why hello there, sunshine.

2011-01-31T06:41:00.001-08:00

why hello there, sunshine.

2011-01-31T06:41:00.000-08:00

second trimester

2011-01-19T02:55:00.001-08:00

after being pretty sick during my 1st trimester, i was so grateful to have an uneventful couple months. i felt good, slept well, and enjoyed feeling baby girl move MUCH sooner {14 or 15 weeks} than my other pregnancies. we decided on her name, and also agreed to keep it a secret.

let me just preface this by saying...i really don't like to complain about pregnancy woes. it sort of feels like complaining that i have to park my nice big car in the far end of the parking lot. it doesn't feel right to complain about things that i am extremely grateful for. i love, love, LOVE being pregnant. have i mentioned that even as a young girl, i was petrified i wouldn't be able to have kids? weird, i know. my point is, i definitely don't take it for granted, and i really truly love it.

But, i'd be lying if i didn't admit that the last few weeks have been hard. all the sudden i feel like i am way more pregnant than i actually am. I'm experiencing all that lovely crotch/back pain that usually comes along at the very end of a pregnancy. i'm no professional, but i'm pretty certain this baby is as low as can possibly be without actually falling out. i keep telling myself that this is probably my last pregnancy. enjoy it. don't dwell on how uncomfortable you are. this is a gift. so, at this exact moment i find myself in some weird place where i am loving and appreciating this highly uncomfortable time.

let me leave you with this gem.

the other day some woman at costco made a silly remark about my size. i shared the story with my mom, and this was her response:

"meghan, you're NOT big. this is what it's like. it's like an old bra. it's all stretched out and the elastic is long gone. it's still the same size bra. it's just... floppy. your body just never had a chance to recover so it just popped right out".

thank you mother, for comparing my abs to an old, floppy bra. very true, but also hilarious to hear.

second trimester

2011-01-19T02:55:00.000-08:00

let me leave you with this gem.

the other day some woman at costco made a silly remark about my size. i shared the story with my mom, and this was her response:

thank you mother, for comparing my abs to an old, floppy bra. very true, but also hilarious to hear.

second trimester

2011-01-18T07:07:00.001-08:00

after being pretty sick my 1st trimester i was extremely grateful to have an uneventful 2nd trimester. all things considered, i felt pretty darn good. in fact, we recently got a bigger car and i joked/scared my husband to death when i pointed out that now we can fill up all those extra seats with little ones.

but brian can breathe easy. the last few weeks i've definitely been feeling more pregnant, and much less on top of the world {i.e. back and pelv

second trimester

2011-01-18T07:07:00.000-08:00

second trimester

2011-01-18T06:45:00.001-08:00

After feeling really sick during my first trimester, I was very relieved to be feeling back to myself during the last few months. No crazy cravings, no trouble sleeping, no major complaints. However, a few weeks ago it really hit me and i and started feeling really pregnant.

second trimester

2011-01-18T06:45:00.000-08:00

a day in the life...

2011-01-13T02:30:00.001-08:00

i've seen a few different people do this, and for some reason i think it's entertaining to read.

so, here is our really thrilling day...

3 am: awake to pee. check to see how much snow we got. lots! power has been out for hours. brrrrr! cover adalaide with extra blanket.

6:30 am: brian kisses me goodbye. being slightly awake makes me realize i need to pee. again. oh, pregnancy!

7:55 am: hear finley calling for me.

8:00 am: get finley out of bed. inspect snow. decline her invitation to go outside right now.

8:10 am: get adalaide up. take note of how stinking adorable she is when i go in her room in the morning. she squeals and kicks her legs and i love it.

8:11 am: walk into kitchen and see dirty dishes from night before {power was out}. think how much i hate, hate, hate starting the day with dirty dishes.

8:30 am: make our usual breakfast of oatmeal. add toppings like apples, craisons, and nuts inspired by McDonalds commercial i saw yesterday. yes, i said 'inspired' and 'Mcdonalds' in the same sentence. finley adds her own toppings and says, 'this is the best idea, meg'.

9:00 am: bathtime. the girls favorite activity. i love it too, because they are contained in one spot, for a significant amount of time, with minimal clean up. except for today, because adalaide peed on the floor in the 5 seconds between removing her diaper and getting her in the tub. plus, i can sit on my butt, which is becoming a favored activity for me these days.

10:00 am: naptime for adalaide. finley sits on my lap while i brush her hair. minimal screaming today! catch her wiping a booger on my pants. and incase i didn't notice, she tells me so. i note how disgusted i am, but also note the fact that i am not disgusted enough to get up, direct her to the kleenex and lecture her about it. also note how lazy i've gotten.

10:15 am: dishes. by hand. i am the only dishwasher in this house. sigh...

10:30 am: snack for finley. look over recipe for dinner {anyone else obsessed with pioneer woman?} remember that we're out of chicken, even though i KNEW we were out. We've already been to the grocery store TWICE this week, and i've forgotten BOTH times. curse my pregnancy brain!

10:45 am: since it has been deemed necessary to leave the house {brian would faint if i fed him a meatless meal}, i put forth minimal effort to look presentable. change booger pants. brush teeth. reassemble hair do. check email and google reader.

11:15 am: hear noise from baby's room. think: she better not be waking up already! phew, she's not. grab load from dryer to fold. also, see that i left a load in the washer overnight. oops. check to see if clothes smell musty. nothing a little bounce sheet can't handle. collect enough nails and screws out of the washer to build a small house. note for the hundredth time that one of us really needs to start checking his pant pockets.

11:18 am: finley asks to do art. i tell her no, and remind her that her art caddy is put away for the day because she didn't clean up her mess yesterday. quickly realize that this also punishes me because art keeps her busy AND quiet for long periods of time. drats.

11:50 am: wake the bambino up. note how very wrong it is to wake a baby, but decide we must get this show on the road. plus, if she sleeps too late her afternoon nap won't coincide with finley's. and i'm just not down with that at all. dipe change. coats on. hats on. make conscious effort to turn off lights, per husbands not so gentle request after reviewing electricity bill.  preemptively pop two tylenol because my 'pelvis' is on the verge of hurting, and i know it will be full-blown after running errands. oh, pregnancy!

12-1:00 pm: post office and grocery store. girls sat nicely in the cart. no one asked how old my 'son' is. stuck to my list. grabbed coffee from in-store starbucks. good news all around. sang along to taylor swift in the car and wondered if adalaide's first words will be from a taylor swift song.

1:00 pm: lunch time. chicken quesadilla, banana, and carrots for finley. rice, lentils, carrots, and green beans for adalaide. watched adalaide perform her 'tricks': so big, waving, and playing the drums. note that i need to capture it on video.

1:30 pm: doll house and princess puzzle.

2:00 pm: put adalaide to bed. start finley's naptime regime: potty, water bottle filled, blankets and stuffed animals arranged, 3 kisses, and 3 hugs, door closed-but not latched.

2:02 pm: check email and google reader, while finishing coffee. make and devour a toasted sesame bagel with the works. spend several minutes deciding whether or not to relax or be productive during naptime. decide to split my time.

2:15-2:57 pm: do dishes from lunch, empty garbage and recycling, tidy playroom and living room. fold laundry. decide against putting away the clean clothes, because that would just be too much. instead, leave laundry on floor where it will most likely be trampled on by little feet.

2:57 pm:  lay down and attempt to take nap. coffee gets the better of me, and i can't fall asleep. thoroughly enjoy laying in bed anyway though.

4:26 pm: hear adalaide and realize that i fell asleep. ponder how one falls asleep moments after finishing a coffee. oh, pregnancy!

4:30: get baby up. enjoy some rare time with just her.

5:00 pm: visit from cousin/neighbor.

5:15 pm: finley wakes up. time to start dinner. on the menu tonight: pioneer woman's pasta with tomato cream sauce, grilled chicken, bleu cheese iceberg salad, and crusty bread. for the babe: mashed avocado, tofu, yogurt, and wheat germ. turn on music. finley takes the c.d. out of the stereo and replaces it with taylor swift. not sure if i'm more annoyed or impressed.

6:00 pm: brian gets home early!  he feeds adalaide. i finish dinner. i catch him eating the baby's food. seriously?

6:30 pm: dinner time. yummy. note how much i love pioneer woman.

7:00 pm: clean up. get really excited when i see that we'll get a second meal out of the leftovers. less cooking tomorrow night!

7:25 pm:  finley builds a fort.

7:45 pm: bedtime routine-potty, jammers, dipe change, bottle for the babe, brush teeth, devotional, 1 song, prayers. prayers briefly interrupted so that finley could inform me 'she tooted'. 3 kisses, 3 hugs. blankets and animals in place. door closed, but not latched. put adalaide to bed.

8:10 pm: collapse on couch with brian. baby goes crazy in my belly, like every night at this time. note how much i love it. watch modern family. hurt myself laughing so hard. seriously.

10:10 pm: to bed we go.

a day in the life...

2011-01-13T02:30:00.000-08:00

i've seen a few different people do this, and for some reason i think it's entertaining to read.

so, here is our really thrilling day...

2011-01-07T05:53:00.001-08:00

While we were playing in a fort, i thought the girls look especially cute. I grabbed a couple flowers and my camera. Could finley be anymore of a poser? She makes me laugh!

2011-01-07T05:53:00.000-08:00

While we were playing in a fort, i thought the girls look especially cute. I grabbed a couple flowers and my camera. Could finley be anymore of a poser? She makes me laugh!

2010

2011-01-03T07:47:00.001-08:00

When i think about the last year, the feelings that come to mind are 'simple, stable, and content'. Even though we did a lot {remodeled our house, had a baby, got pregnant with another baby, and moved} it feels like it's been a really low-key year. With every year that goes by, I think we are settling into our roles as husband/wife and parents a little better. That's not to say that we're perfecting our roles...that couldn't be farther from the truth! I guess, as time goes on and our family grows, we're learning to have a little more grace and lightheartedness.
If we learned anything from our firstborn, it's that IT. GOES. FAST. In the blink of an eye Finley has turned into a sassy, brilliant, hilarious three year old. And our baby is on the verge of being not-so-babyish. We look forward to watching our girls grow and all the fun that comes with having older children, but we also know the importance of savoring each moment with them. Over the last couple months I've been paying closer attention to how I spend my time. Sure, I'm home with the girls 24-7, but if i'm not intentional with my time, the days get filled up with to-do lists, projects i want to get done, surfing the internet, etc. Not that there's anything wrong with those things, I'm just working on finding a balance that's good for everyone. I'm hoping that as we go into a new year, and welcome another baby, it's something that i'll continue to think about.

Sometimes we look at how much our lives have changed in the last few years and laugh. We have no nightlife {how embarrassing is it that i fell asleep before midnight on NYE!}, we don't go on exotic vacations, and we would rather buy a light fixture for our house than eat a meal at a fancy restaurant. We are really boring by a lot of people's standards.

But, I will tell you this, 2010 was full of:

dance parties
slobbery kisses
forts
silly toddler humor
adorable baby babble
and family snuggle time in our bed.

the season of life we're in might not be the most glamorous or exciting {unless you're like me and you get excited about a solid nights sleep, or baby poop that is the proper consistency}. but, it sure is rewarding and oh so fun.

the other morning we brought the girls in our bed for a few minutes before we started the day. for some reason they love playing in our bed. adalaide goes especially crazy over all the down and pillows. i listened to them laugh and squeal and i couldn't help smiling. Then i remembered that in a little while we'll be making room for another little girl, and i just felt so complete and content. i know this is incredibly mushy, but God has given us so much. I am just so thankful for my husband, our kids, our cozy home, and the simple things that bring us joy.

wishing you a very wonderful 2011.

and now you can throw up.

2010

2011-01-03T07:47:00.000-08:00

But, I will tell you this, 2010 was full of:

dance parties
slobbery kisses
forts
silly toddler humor
adorable baby babble
and family snuggle time in our bed.

wishing you a very wonderful 2011.

and now you can throw up.

our very merry christmas

2010-12-28T07:33:00.001-08:00

our very merry christmas

2010-12-28T07:33:00.000-08:00

santa

2010-12-22T08:12:00.001-08:00

ready to go see santa

neither one had any clue that scary ol' santa was behind them, but adalaide was terrified of the camera man who got in her personal space. there was no rallying her around, so it looks like we can add another crying santa picture to the mantel.

santa

2010-12-22T08:12:00.000-08:00

ready to go see santa

bliss

2010-12-15T03:55:00.001-08:00

have you ever had a cranberry bliss bar from starbucks? they are, well...blissful.
a couple years ago my mom found the recipe and we've been enjoying these treats every holiday season.

recipe:

cake
3/4 c. softened butter
1 1/4 c. light brown sugar
3 eggs
2 Tbs minced candied or crystallized ginger
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4-1 cup diced, dried cranberries {i get them from trader joes}
4 oz white chocolate, chopped {good quality white choc. chips work fine too}
bake in a jelly roll pan, lined with parchment paper
at 350 for 14-17 minutes

frosting
8 oz cream cheese
6 tsp fresh orange juice + orange zest from whole orange
1 tsp vanilla
4 c. powdered sugar

sprinkle additional chopped cranberries on top of frosting.
this makes a ton of frosting, so feel free not to use all of it.

bliss

2010-12-15T03:55:00.000-08:00

have you ever had a cranberry bliss bar from starbucks? they are, well...blissful.
a couple years ago my mom found the recipe and we've been enjoying these treats every holiday season.

recipe:

cake
3/4 c. softened butter
1 1/4 c. light brown sugar
3 eggs
2 Tbs minced candied or crystallized ginger
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4-1 cup diced, dried cranberries {i get them from trader joes}
4 oz white chocolate, chopped {good quality white choc. chips work fine too}
bake in a jelly roll pan, lined with parchment paper
at 350 for 14-17 minutes

frosting
8 oz cream cheese
6 tsp fresh orange juice + orange zest from whole orange
1 tsp vanilla
4 c. powdered sugar

sprinkle additional chopped cranberries on top of frosting.
this makes a ton of frosting, so feel free not to use all of it.

proud parents

2010-12-09T07:01:00.001-08:00

this is a video of finley telling the christmas story. it's a little shaky at first, and i think adalaide is pooping in the background, but stick with it. she's the cutest!

if you're in google reader, you may have to come to my page for the video to work.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlVuiW8f7hQ

finley recently started writing her name. i wish i could take credit for teaching her how to do it...she just busted it out all her own. yes it's backwards, but from what i remember from my teaching days, this is pretty normal for beginners.

also, i just have to share this story. i recently went to a new moms group at brian's family's church. i took finley down to the childcare and dropped her off with two adults she's never met. while i was signing her in, the man told me that the 2, 3, and 4 year olds would be going upstairs to perform in front of the women's christmas party. i immediately got anxious because i know how shy finley gets in front of strangers, let alone hundreds of people. she's never been on stage before or in any kind of performance, so i was sort of nervous how she was going to react. later on when the kids came on stage i made my way to the front. she looked nervous, but she gave me a big wave. she didn't know the first song, but they handed out bells for the 2nd song {she loves instruments} and this time she knew the words. Up on that huge stage, surrounded by little kids she's never met, she carefully rang her bell in sync with the instructor, and she BUSTED OUT THE WORDS TO JINLGE BELLS. i cried. i tried not to cry too hard, but i was so proud of her. and she was so proud of herself. on our drive home she had me call daddy, and both grandmas to tell them that she 'went on stage'.

proud parents

2010-12-09T07:01:00.000-08:00

another christmas miracle...

2010-12-08T08:22:00.001-08:00

...getting the four of us to smile and look decent in the SAME picture.

oh, and it didn't help that we attempted to get a picture while we were all sick.

here are some outtakes from our christmas card photo shoot. silly me didn't bother 'reviewing' the pictures and my poor mom knows nothing about camera settings. so 95% of the pictures are out of focus and overexposed. oh well, we got something that worked in the end.

this makes me laugh. brian is done posing, and i'm saying 'come on, just a couple more'.

another christmas miracle...

2010-12-08T08:22:00.000-08:00

...getting the four of us to smile and look decent in the SAME picture.

oh, and it didn't help that we attempted to get a picture while we were all sick.

this makes me laugh. brian is done posing, and i'm saying 'come on, just a couple more'.

seriously?!

2010-12-07T09:01:00.001-08:00

you guys.
my baby is 9 months old.
three-quarters of a year.
how is this possible?

she is on the go and into everything.

her favorite place to explore is the bathroom.
she loves to crawl in there and stand up at the tub, reaching for the bath toys.
taking a bath is her favorite activity.
she squeals, and laughs, and splashes a ridiculous amount of water out of the tub.
but, i kinda don't care because it's so cute to watch.

she pulls herself up, and walks along furniture.

she is the best eater.
she loves sitting at the table eating finger foods {cheerios and tofu are her favorite}.

she has her four front teeth and a couple more on the way.
her hair is starting to curl a little, which is really exciting because i really
want one of our girls to get the adorable curls brian had when he was little.

she is very attached to her blankie.

brian likes to think that she's a 'daddy's girl'.

her whole face crinkles when she smiles.

i am slightly jealous of her eyelashes.
strangers comment on them a lot. they also call her boy a lot.

we love her so much and can't believe how fast 9 months has flown by!

seriously?!

2010-12-07T09:01:00.000-08:00

you guys.
my baby is 9 months old.
three-quarters of a year.
how is this possible?

she is on the go and into everything.

she pulls herself up, and walks along furniture.

she is the best eater.
she loves sitting at the table eating finger foods {cheerios and tofu are her favorite}.

she is very attached to her blankie.

brian likes to think that she's a 'daddy's girl'.

her whole face crinkles when she smiles.

i am slightly jealous of her eyelashes.
strangers comment on them a lot. they also call her boy a lot.

we love her so much and can't believe how fast 9 months has flown by!

thanksgiving

2010-11-26T00:49:00.001-08:00

We have so much to be thankful for this year, namely...
:: our new home
:: our health
:: brian's work
:: our families
:: our wonderful girls
:: our baby girl {and a smooth pregnancy}
:: and most importantly our Heavenly Father

This year was especially fun because finley really got into the spirit of thankfulness.
We've had many, many conversations about what each of us are grateful for.

This year she is thankful for
:: hailey
:: salami
:: for "being a princess"
:: singing
:: adalaide

hope you had a great thanksgiving as well. now on to christmas decorating!

{even though we couldn't make it all the way up the mountain to get our tree. boo.}

thanksgiving

2010-11-26T00:49:00.000-08:00

This year was especially fun because finley really got into the spirit of thankfulness.
We've had many, many conversations about what each of us are grateful for.

This year she is thankful for
:: hailey
:: salami
:: for "being a princess"
:: singing
:: adalaide

hope you had a great thanksgiving as well. now on to christmas decorating!

{even though we couldn't make it all the way up the mountain to get our tree. boo.}

more snow fun

2010-11-24T02:55:00.001-08:00

more snow fun

2010-11-24T02:55:00.000-08:00

snowy day!

2010-11-22T05:07:00.001-08:00

we woke up to a winter wonderland this morning.
by 9 am, we were bundled up and ready for some fun in the snow!

we didn't have quite enough snow to make a snowman, but we've gotten a few more inches this afternoon, so i foresee one in our future.

ready for some cookies and warm milk!

snowy day!

2010-11-22T05:07:00.000-08:00

we woke up to a winter wonderland this morning.
by 9 am, we were bundled up and ready for some fun in the snow!

we didn't have quite enough snow to make a snowman, but we've gotten a few more inches this afternoon, so i foresee one in our future.

ready for some cookies and warm milk!

is it just me...

2010-11-19T04:56:00.001-08:00

...or is someone looking rather grown up lately?!

i can't get over how long her hair is!

is it just me...

2010-11-19T04:56:00.000-08:00

...or is someone looking rather grown up lately?!

i can't get over how long her hair is!

our daughter

2010-11-16T07:43:00.001-08:00

meet our daughter...

isn't she the cutest?!

here are her little legs, feet crossed at the ankles. such a lady already!

here she is giving us a 'thumbs up'

and here is the gender shot. since i know what to look for, i saw the 3 white lines before the tech even said anything!

seeing your baby on the screen just never gets old. in fact, i think this ultrasound was my favorite {am i allowed to say that?}. everything was so clear, and she was doing all sorts of darling things. plus, the lady doing the ultrasound was the kindest person, and spent lots of time gushing along with us.

a LONG time ago, brian and i talked about how fun it would be to have 3 girls {of course, realizing that we would have zero control over it}. that's not to say that we wouldn't be excited about having a son, because OBVIOUSLY we would. we just sort of pictured 3 girls. almost everyone we know was hoping for a boy. we've heard all sorts of reasons why we, or more specifically brian, needs to have a boy. we would just smile and say "we'll see. there's a 50/50 chance".

when we found out our baby was a girl, we were really excited. really, truly excited. that probably doesn't make sense to a lot of people. but we were. are. i don't know what God's plans are for our future. maybe He's laughing right now, because he knows he'll be sending us a son. Or maybe this is it. three girls. either way, we are so excited for our family. so excited that our girls will have each other. 3 sisters close in age, how fun will that be! And my husband, the most manly man i know, surrounded by ladies. He loves his little darlings so very much. And don't worry that he's missing out on anything by having girls...

Finley knows her way around a tool box better than most boys!

oh, and one final somewhat frightening thought: our girls will all be in high school at the same time. a freshman, sophomore, and senior. wowza!

our daughter

2010-11-16T07:43:00.000-08:00

meet our daughter...

isn't she the cutest?!

here are her little legs, feet crossed at the ankles. such a lady already!

here she is giving us a 'thumbs up'

and here is the gender shot. since i know what to look for, i saw the 3 white lines before the tech even said anything!

Finley knows her way around a tool box better than most boys!

oh, and one final somewhat frightening thought: our girls will all be in high school at the same time. a freshman, sophomore, and senior. wowza!

oh boy!

2010-11-15T05:07:00.001-08:00

oh boy!

2010-11-15T05:07:00.000-08:00

home

2010-11-11T02:02:00.001-08:00

It's been a crazy few weeks, but we're all settled in our cozy new home and we couldn't be more thrilled. The original plan was that we would move in to our new place on the 1st, the day after the renters moved out. My family was under the impression that they were 'good renters' who would be leaving the house in good condition. holy. mother. of. disgusting. That was not the case at all. My mom and I took at walk through the house and were utterly speechless. seriously we had no words-just jaws dropped. Before even taking two steps in the door we were hit with the most horrific smell {think animal pee + cigarette smoke + general dirtiness}. And the stains, oh the stains. There were so many pee stains throughout the house, I really don't know where one stain started and stopped. THEY WERE EVERYWHERE! And the real kicker.... they left the house full of their crap. couches, tables, old electronics, kitchen stuff, trash, you name it.

Needless to say, we had to change our plans and push back our move in date. Brian and my parents worked together to clear the house of their junk, remove the carpet {which allowed us to uncover wonderful hardwoods-hooray}, paint, and disinfect every square inch. Finley's room was by far the worst in terms of smell. There were pee stains all over the walls, and nicotine crusted in the blinds. Thankfully, the smell is almost gone and she's not commenting on it anymore.

The transformation that took place in a week is just crazy. It's like a completely different house. We are so thankful to my parents who have worked so hard to make this home a nice place for us. My dad gave up his vacation, and took another week off to get this house in order, inside and out. And my mom has been so helpful watching the girls, helping unpack and organize, doing our laundry for us {we are without a washer/dryer for a bit, and i had no idea how awful it would be}. Basically, they are awesome and we are EXTREMELY grateful.

And of course to my husband, too. He unloaded our moving truck and then left immediately to stay the week at our old place getting it ready for the people moving in this weekend. He hasn't slept in two weeks, and i've never heard him so exhausted. We miss you babe, and I promise to let you sleep in all weekend {although i can't say the same for Finley-she really misses her daddy}.

On Sunday night, I left the girls with my mom and took off for a baby shower. I was feeling so overwhelmed by the house full of stuff {and no husband around}, but most troublesome was the fact that none of us had beds for that night. On my way home, I got a call from my mom telling me that a bunch of family and friends had stopped by. People were unloading, unpacking, and most importantly someone had set up our beds {sheets, blankets and everything}! I just started crying, thanking God for all the people who love us so well. You know who you are, thank you. You have no idea how much it meant to us.

We've been settling in all week. I'm slowly making progress on the gazillion boxes we have. I was curious how finley would react the moving, the change of it all, waking up in a new room, etc. She's done great! Both girls seem very happy here...we all are.

Here's what we're loving so far:
:: the location {great commute for Brian, close to family, close to a town with all the essentials}
:: the paved, flat, 6 mile trail that is across from our house
:: the layout of the house. the fact that the playroom is centrally located so no matter where i am, i'm near the girls
:: the big fenced in back yard
:: the large dining room {we finally have room to fit our entire dining set, plus a buffet, and extra storage thingy}

With all our focus being on renovating, and moving, I've hardly remembered that tomorrow is the big day that we find out if we'll be welcoming a baby boy or girl. I still think it's a boy. So does Finley, and she insists that we'll call him doofy. Last night during our prayers she reminded me, "don't forget to pray for doofy". Could she have come up with a more hideous name? Ha, I love her.

We aren't entirely sure, if this will be our last child. I would love more. But, 4 c-sections is risky and controversial. I joke that unless Brian gets snipped, we'll probably have a 4th. Two out of our three have been 'surprises'. Anywho, perhaps because this could be our last, a teensy weensy part of me has thought about not finding out the sex. Brian wants to, and I mostly do too, but we'll see what happens over the next 24 hours...

home

2010-11-11T02:02:00.000-08:00

halloween

2010-11-02T10:11:00.001-07:00

halloween

2010-11-02T10:11:00.000-07:00

{first trimester}

2010-10-28T07:58:00.001-07:00

This post is a little overdue. We're so busy with moving, blogging is the last thing I have time for. But I'm glad that I've documented my last pregnancies, and I know I'll regret it if I don't this time around. So here goes...

-my first trimester with baby no. 3-
:: i had my first experience with morning sickness. it was awful, and lasted all day everyday weeks 5-12.
:: got to hear baby's heartbeat at first prenatal check up {11 weeks}
:: had to get a very brief ultrasound at 16 weeks for an ovarian cyst {no big deal}
:: strong instincts that this is a boy. based on my "gut", my leg hair growth theory, the fact that finley says so, and the chinese gender chart. all very scientific, i know.
:: started feeling baby kick around 15 weeks, which was a delightful surprise because i didn't feel either of the girls until 20 weeks.

so that's about all.
at my ultrasound the technician told me we could find out the gender, but our stubborn little baby would not turn over...no matter how i hard i poked at it when the lady wasn't looking.
so we'll have to wait a couple of weeks for the cute profile pic and the big gender reveal!

Taking self portraits is not as easy as it looks, especially when you want your belly to stay sideways!

{first trimester}

2010-10-28T07:58:00.000-07:00

Taking self portraits is not as easy as it looks, especially when you want your belly to stay sideways!

growing...

2010-10-21T09:18:00.001-07:00

since i'm terrible at keeping up on baby books, this blog has become the place to do it.

so...

our little adalaide learned to crawl at 7 months.

she is freakishly fast. i'll leave her for half a minute and find her in a completely different room.

at 7 1/2 months she figured out how to go from laying to sitting.

now she's working on pulling herself up. she can get up onto to her knees, so we had to lower the crib.

lowering her crib got me wondering how i'll be able to get her out when it's all the way down and

i have a huge belly. i think i may need a stool of sorts.

adalaide is pretty quiet and laid back. more than one person has jokingly asked if she has vocal cords.

i'm happy to report that yes, in fact she does. she has figured out how to squeal and if she wants something

that she can't quite reach she makes this growling sound. it's cute/fun to see her personality unfold.

once adalaide was able to sit, it seemed like the gap between her and finley lessened pretty quickly.

obviously, they're not really playing together, but sometimes they kind of are.

and now that adalaide can crawl after her sister's toys {which of course are MUCH more interesting than baby toys}

finley is learning the art of sharing with a sibling.

and a funny side note: finley is so repulsed by the smell of adalaide's formula drool,

she runs into the bathroom to rinse off any toy that adalaide puts in her mouth.

i don't really blame her. it's nasty.

finley just had her 3 year check up, and is as healthy as can be.

31 1/2 lbs {25-50 %}

37 inches tall {50%}

finley's current interests: singing/dancing, dress up, playing outside, tea parties, caillou,

baking, board games, art, and needing to know everyone's middle name {like, even the lady in the target fitting room}.

also, she loves to reminisce. nearly every sentence starts with remember.

"remember when i was a little girl and we went there?"

"remember when i was five and i did that?"

"remember when i _____ when i was a baby?"

"remember when i was a boy...?"

{still confused about that one}

i've gone on and on about her feisty, silly side that loves making people laugh, and also gets her into a fair bit of trouble.

but she's also the most loving girl. i'll leave you with this moment we had that i don't ever want to forget...

i was tucking her, and we laid in the dark for a few minutes.

after a while she asked, "do you want to hold hands?"

so we did for a few minutes.

then i felt her move some hair off my face and she kissed my cheek and said,

"you are so beautiful, mommy."

{it was pitch black, but it's the thought that counts}

and then she reached for my hand again and said, "i love you mommy. you are the best mommy."

aw. i'm tearing up right now.

i'll hold onto this memory for the next time she decides to cover her body head to toe in hand soap,

or for tonight at dinnertime when she switches chairs at least 20 times.

do they make toddler high chairs? i got off track.

we love her. and we love her big heart. here's to 3 being the best year yet!

growing...

2010-10-21T09:18:00.000-07:00

since i'm terrible at keeping up on baby books, this blog has become the place to do it.

so...

our little adalaide learned to crawl at 7 months.

she is freakishly fast. i'll leave her for half a minute and find her in a completely different room.

at 7 1/2 months she figured out how to go from laying to sitting.

now she's working on pulling herself up. she can get up onto to her knees, so we had to lower the crib.

lowering her crib got me wondering how i'll be able to get her out when it's all the way down and

i have a huge belly. i think i may need a stool of sorts.

adalaide is pretty quiet and laid back. more than one person has jokingly asked if she has vocal cords.

i'm happy to report that yes, in fact she does. she has figured out how to squeal and if she wants something

that she can't quite reach she makes this growling sound. it's cute/fun to see her personality unfold.

once adalaide was able to sit, it seemed like the gap between her and finley lessened pretty quickly.

obviously, they're not really playing together, but sometimes they kind of are.

and now that adalaide can crawl after her sister's toys {which of course are MUCH more interesting than baby toys}

finley is learning the art of sharing with a sibling.

and a funny side note: finley is so repulsed by the smell of adalaide's formula drool,

she runs into the bathroom to rinse off any toy that adalaide puts in her mouth.

i don't really blame her. it's nasty.

finley just had her 3 year check up, and is as healthy as can be.

31 1/2 lbs {25-50 %}

37 inches tall {50%}

finley's current interests: singing/dancing, dress up, playing outside, tea parties, caillou,

baking, board games, art, and needing to know everyone's middle name {like, even the lady in the target fitting room}.

also, she loves to reminisce. nearly every sentence starts with remember.

"remember when i was a little girl and we went there?"

"remember when i was five and i did that?"

"remember when i _____ when i was a baby?"

"remember when i was a boy...?"

{still confused about that one}

i've gone on and on about her feisty, silly side that loves making people laugh, and also gets her into a fair bit of trouble.

but she's also the most loving girl. i'll leave you with this moment we had that i don't ever want to forget...

i was tucking her, and we laid in the dark for a few minutes.

after a while she asked, "do you want to hold hands?"

so we did for a few minutes.

then i felt her move some hair off my face and she kissed my cheek and said,

"you are so beautiful, mommy."

{it was pitch black, but it's the thought that counts}

and then she reached for my hand again and said, "i love you mommy. you are the best mommy."

aw. i'm tearing up right now.

i'll hold onto this memory for the next time she decides to cover her body head to toe in hand soap,

or for tonight at dinnertime when she switches chairs at least 20 times.

do they make toddler high chairs? i got off track.

we love her. and we love her big heart. here's to 3 being the best year yet!

some info

2010-10-21T07:35:00.001-07:00