22 Months and 9 Months

Connor

• Language explosion - this kid is a talking machine! I'm not sure anyone could understand him but Steven and I but he's talking all the same.
• Preschool - Connor attends preschool twice a week for two hours. His teachers adore him and we're hoping to work out a nanny share with his director for next year. 
• Interests - Connor loves ball, art, dogs, walking, balloons, trains and trucks.

Alice

• Great Strides - In the past week Alice has become a pro at sitting up on her own, crawling and pulling up. I was worried she was behind but if she was, you would never know it now! 
• Language  - She constantly mimics her brother, vowel sounds and screams MAMA at me from across the room!
• Eating - Alice is beginning to eat table food. We have to cut it into teeny tiny pieces because the girl still has NO TEETH! 
• Sleeping - Most nights, she sleeps through the night.
• Interests - Alice loves people and toys. She will sit with a basket of toys and play independently for up to 45 minutes! 

Spring Bucket List

1. Dye Easter Eggs
2. Visit the zoo
3. Clean out the garage
4. Peep S'mores
5. Plant flowers somewhere
6. Eat dinner on the patio
7. Decorate spring cupcakes
8. Tackle the linen closet
9. Visit Memorial Gardens
10. Spring pictures

I've Got to Write this Crap DOWN!

..because that makes it real, right?

I've been battling weight since Alice was born. It's much harder to find the time to exercise and prepare healthy food with two babies.

I need to make this a priority so I need to write it down. Maybe that's just the kind of accountability I need.

Health Goals

1. Exercise 3x a week. This doesn't have to be as hard as I think. It can be a walk around the neighborhood with the kids, a quick workout video, a jog once Steven gets home....anything. I just need to get my but moving for me. Picking up/lugging kids around does not count Elizabeth!!!

2. Count calories 5 days a week. I plan to stick to about 1720 calories a day. No counting on Fridays and Sundays but I still need to pay attention to what I'm putting in my mouth.

3. Eat breakfast. Seriously, this is becoming a HUGE problem for me. I get so caught up in the mornings with diapers and feeding babies that I forget about myself. At about 10:00 it hits me hard. I'm shaking and feeling bad and just so desperate to get something into my body, that I eat the first easy thing I can find in the house.

4. Limit fast food. When did fast food become a problem for me? It's just so stinkin' easy when you've got a screaming kid. It falls into the same category as number 3. I get in a rush and forget to eat before leaving the house. Cue McDonald's.

That's enough goal setting for now. I really need this to work. When did I become a fatty????

Alice's Baptism

Alice 7 Months

My sweet Ali, I can't believe you're seven months old already.

Eating Habits

I'm not sure that I've noted this anywhere but you hate to be held while you have your bottle. You prefer to lay on the boppy in front of the person feeding you and drink at a leisurely pace. You're taking about 24 ounces of formula a day. You do love some baby food though! You usually eat some at lunch and dinner.

Sleeping Habits

You have until you're eight months old to sleep through the night or else we're putting you up for adoption. Seriously. Your sleeping has improved. On most nights you wake 1-2 times but we have had a rough go lately.

Milestones

Your sitting confidently on your own now. You started sitting with support at 6 months. (I missed that post.)c You are unable to get yourself in the sitting position on your own but you did manage once with the support of your boppy.

You are itching to get moving. I'd say it won't be too much longer until you're crawling!

You love toys, us and especially Connor. When Connor has a tantrum you laugh and laugh. You also mock him constantly. If he coughs, you cough. If he laughs, you laugh. Last week you even said bye after he did!

Alice, you're such a sweet, happy baby!

It Must Be December

Seriously, I love this season and everything that comes with it.

BUT

Cue my holiday funk.

This year it started with a bad hair cut. I know, it makes no sense. I had to get my hair whacked off to correct the first hair cut.

Cue self loathing.

Suddenly I cared that I was still carrying around baby weight and that my old clothes still don't fit and probably never will. I decided I hate all my new clothes, my face, my personality and everything about the current me. Great.


Cue anxiety. 

Then we had a possible water leak, our brand new dryer broke (we thought) and now it turns out the entire fuse box needs to be replaced.

Now, I'm not good enough at anything. I've decided that since my house isn't pristine, my Christmas tree isn't beautiful and we eat take out occasionally that I suck at life.

The worst part is that my husband doesn't get it. And it infuriates me even though I know I'm being completely irrational and insane. I even thought I might be pregnant despite two forms of birth control. That's the kinda crazy I'm feeling.

Makes total sense, right?

Cue a therapist? 

Ah December, are you over yet?

Must Be Santa

I don't think Steven and I will push the Santa thing. I know the kids will eventually ask about Santa and I guess we need to figure out what to tell them. Growing up, our parents always told us that our stockings were from Santa but that was it. I'd really like to focus more on a Christian Christmas.

That being said

Today we visited Santa at Bass Pro Shops. They give you a free 4x6 photo. I couldn't miss out on this photo op!

I know it's a crap picture. I also know I'm a little old to be posing with Santa. Connor freaked (as expected) and the photographer suggested I stand with him next to Santa.  The look on his face those is priceless! And of course, let's not forget Miss Mellow! She's such an easy baby!!!