Happy 2nd Birthday Abigail...and One Month Birthday Madelyn!

Abi turned two and Madelyn turned one month yesterday. Since turning one month is not really that exciting and she is oblivious, Abigail was the special girl for the weekend! I decided to take the easy route this year for Abi's party since I kind of have my hands full these days. We invited everyone to The Commons Saturday morning for cupcakes and presents. We had been talking to Abi about her birthday for a few weeks and although she doesn't understand what a "birthday" is she knew there would be cupcakes and presents. That's enough to make anyone excited!

On Friday she "helped" me make cupcakes for her party. Whenever I asked her what kind of cupcakes she wanted she would always say the same thing - "green tuptakes!"

taste tester

Her actual birthday was Sunday but we pretty much pretended Saturday was her birthday since that's when her party was. Abi is super blessed to have a lot of family that love her a lot and they all apparently decided to show their love through presents. Shew-wee she is a lucky girl!

We need a bigger house...



sugar overload



goofball

Silly Marci thought it was a good idea to help both Abi and Eli to the top

Mommy, Daddy & Birthday Girl

"Bucky" and the girlies!

I can't believe Abi is already two. The past two years seem like they've flown. It makes me scared of how fast the rest will go by. I found myself watching Abi at her party and hoping I could remember her exactly how she looks and acts at age two. She brings me, and Adam, so much joy everyday and always makes us laugh with the funny things she says. She is smart, silly, kind and stubborn. Some days I could pull my hair out when she asks me 568 times a day, "What you doing Mommy?" "What's that!?" even when she clearly knows the answer. I think God must have combined Adam and I's stubbornness and put it all into Abi to punish us and make our parents laugh. Last week I told her to pick up the five magnets she threw on the floor before she could have a snack and she waited me out for 3 HOURS! I, of course, won because she will never be more stubborn than me. But good gravy Abigail, five magnets!? Really!? But then in the same day she can look at me with her big blue eyes and say, "Come on Mommy, let's play." And my heart totally melts. She loves Madelyn and is such a good big sister. She hates when Madi cries and always tries to soothe her with her pacifier and whispering "It's alright Madi, I know Madi, it's ok Madi." Abi really has a big heart and loves all her family. She always wants to know where everybody is and it's not uncommon for her to ask me daily where all her grandparents and aunts and uncles are. And of course, Eli. She misses her daddy like crazy when he's at work and when he has an extra busy week she kind of gives him the cold shoulder. Such a girl already. I'm always surprised by the things she says and thinks now that she can sort of communicate her thoughts. I've been meaning to write some of the funny things she says and does but haven't yet. So here are a few funny things I want to remember:

One day I walked in the living room and Abi was licking Madelyn's face. (why!?) So I say, "what are you doing Abi?" And she says, "I lick baby's face Mommy!"

While I'm doing dishes Abi is talking to and fussing over Madelyn. And I hear, "You like your eyeballs, baby?"

One day Abi dropped a book on her toe and cried. Then she says, "I go eat a couple peanuts make Abi's foot feel better."

Abi: Push me in Abi's wagon, Mommy.
Me: I can't right now. Just a minute.
Abi: Yes you can, you a big girl, Mommy.

I can't imagine life without my Abigail. I know Adam would say the same. I thank God for sending me such a sweetie who teaches me things too; patience, faith, to slow down and enjoy the simple things.


so proud of her new birthday jammies

I can't forget Madelyn. She's only one month old now but it feels like months since I've had a good night's sleep. I love her for being so laid back and easy going. I could snuggle her all day long. Plus, she is such a cutie! I wanted to get a "one month" picture of her looking cute after church yesterday but I guess she wasn't feeling photogenic. It ended up looking like a gangster baby photo shoot.

Go Colts!

Abi's First Haircut

A few months ago my regular hair lady quit and I never got around to finding someone new. You can't just let anyone cut your hair, right!? Needless to say, I was embarassingly overdue for a haircut. I finally found someone and figured I would take Abi along for her first haircut/trim. Plus it was a great chance for her to have Mommy all to herself for an hour or so.

When we got to the salon the hair stylist found her a chair to sit in and watch me get my hair cut first. She was pretty intrigued for the most part and kept saying, "Mommy, there's hair on the floor!" Finally it was her turn and she did a really good job! Luckily, it was just a quick trim so it only took about 5 min. I'm not sure she could have sat that still for any longer than that.

entertaining herself in the mirror



Before & After

 Ok, so you can't even tell she got a haircut. I was under strict instructions from Adam not to cut her hair short or "ruin it" as he put it. Sheesh. It was a fun afternoon for us and I was so proud of Abi for being patient while she waited her turn and for sitting still during her haircut. We finished off our Mommy & Abi outing by getting Abi some shoes to wear with her flower girl dress in a couple weeks. A trip to the hair salon and a sparkly shoe purchase!? My baby girl is growing up.

Five Generations

Today we went to visit Grandma Jean so she could meet her 2nd great-great granddaughter, Madelyn. Grandma Jean will be 93 in January but you would never know it to talk to her. She is such a sweet person and I am amazingly blessed to still have my Great Grandma at age 28. She loves having visitors, especially babies and kids. And I always tell myself we should go over more often. We took a five generations picture when Abi was born so we thought we should for Madi too. It's so rare and special to have five generations I feel like there can't be too many pictures of us all together.

Foggy Memories

In my previous life before kids I used to say "I'm tired." But now, saying I'm tired seems like such an understatement. When I think about how many naps I took in college I could smack myself. Why did I think getting up for 9am class and then hanging out with my friends was so exhausting!? These days I really feel more "foggy" than tired. I know that days, weeks, months, years from now these weeks will be a little hazy. Another reason I'm glad Traci convinced me to start this blog. So here are the events from the weekend I want to remember from my fog...

On Friday we ventured out to the Commons to play and just be out of the house for awhile. It started out as a great trip. Abi played a little and I bought us a cookie from Subway to share.

Then we had to go to the bathroom to change Madi's poopy diaper. Abi of course needs to supervise this and sits up on the counter next to the changing station.  During the 1.2 seconds I have Madi's diaper off she pees everywhere. How such a little person can hold so much pee I will never understand. Her clothes are soaked and shes laying in a puddle of pee. So I'm trying to hold her and get her clothes off in mid-air because now theres no pee-free place to lay her. Madi is screaming bloody murder which reminds Abi how good the acoustics are in the tiny bathroom. So she starts screaming at the top of her lungs for her own amusement. I hadn't packed Madi a change of clothes (see the above mentioned sleep fog) so now I'm "that mom" with a kid out in public wearing only a diaper. I turn around to put a still screaming Madi in the stroller and when I turn back around Abi is playing in the puddle of her sister's pee! I then proceed to wash my hands and arms, Abi's hands and arms and the changing pad as best I can. We left soon after.

Luckily, the rest of the day was much less eventful. We spent the afternoon playing Abi's new favorite game. She puts on her high heels, sunglasses and purse and pushes Pooh Bear in the stroller going to various pretend places such as the zoo, the playground, and my favorite, the reading store. Whatever that is! But now she wants me to go with her and I have to walk right behind her for what seems like hours while she does laps around the house visiting these various places.



"I go to da reading store!"

On Saturday, we went to the St. Mary's Parish Festival with Adam's family. They had some kiddie rides and Abi and Eli had a ball! I can't believe that these two are big enough to ride rides by themselves! I know I sound silly since they aren't even two yet. But it seems like they should still be babies. Watching them have so much fun I could have cried. Thank you, horomones. 

To finish off a fun weekend we got to see our friends' baby be baptised at church today and then celebrate at their house afterwards. Abi just loves "Baby Tai" and cried during mass when she couldn't go up front to see him while he was being blessed. I didn't get a picture of Tai (again...sleep fog) but snapped a couple at the party between chatting, eating and feeding Madelyn.

the girlies

chubby baby section

My brain may be foggy and I may be so tired I could cry. But I am loving (and sometimes hating) the stages of both girls right now. Abi is starting to have such an imagination and says the most hilarious things. And Madelyn is just a snuggle bug. I never ever get tired of holding a snuggly newborn.



two weeks old



First Solo Outing

Today I made my first trip outside the house with the girls on my own. Our pediatrician recommended we not take Madelyn out unless necessary for the first four weeks. And he made me paranoid by telling me about all the nasty kid sickness going around right now. So we've been trying really hard to keep her quarantined. And since I'm Madelyn's food source and she eats every couple hours that usually means I'm stuck in the house too. But after two weeks it would be an understatement to say I'm stir crazy. Abi was definitely starting to show the signs of cabin fever too. So I thought a field trip to Donner for a picnic and playing would be fairly safe since Madelyn could just stay in her seat the whole time. It was just what we needed! We ate our lunch in the shade and Abi loved watching the squirrels (eewww), the bike riders and dogs being walked. And of course she got in her playground time too.

picnic lunch

so glad to be out of the house!

True to form, Miss Madelyn never even opened her eyes the whole time
we were at the park.

Madelyn's First Week

Madelyn's first week of life has been fairly uneventful, but somehow still exhausting. God has certainly blessed us with a laid back, easy baby. Her schedule pretty much consists of sleeping, eating, going back to sleep, pooping, eating again, sleeping again, repeat over and over. As long as her belly is full and she's warm and cozy she doesn't care what goes on around her. She started out eating every 2-3 hours, even at night. But thanks to the Swaddle Me blanket, the last three nights she has slept 11pm-4:30 or 5am. And God bless her for it! She's still eating constantly during the day. But if she let's me sleep at night I'm happy to oblige.

Thursday Madelyn had her weight check. When we left the hospital she weighed 8lbs 12oz. At her appointment Little Chunkers weighed 9lbs 1.5oz. She gained 5.5oz in 5 days!! While we were there I had Dr. Taylor check Abi's teeth. Since we've been home she's been extra bonkers and attention-seeking *cough* (bratty) *cough*. At first we thought it was just her response to the new baby. But when she starting sweating and had a runny nose I suspected teeth. Dr. Taylor said she has THREE molars coming through and they will probably come in over the next 10 days. Lovely. Miss Abigail is surely testing my patience this week. By the time she goes to bed at night I am wiped out. No one told me an almost two-year old was waayy more work than a newborn. She does make it difficult to be mad at her though. She is absolutely in love with her Baby Sister. And is so sweet with her. Although she definitely doesn't know her own strength. I think I say, "Gentle Abi," "Be easy Abi," at least 100 times a day.

my little sweeties

Abi always thinks Madelyn needs a bunch of toys...even if she's sleeping. haha.

diva

Adam was home Monday through Wednesday this week and it was great having him home. Until he threw his back out Tuesday night and could barely walk. He went to the doctor and they gave him a pain killer, an anti-inflammatory and a muscle relaxer. Sheesh. So between the two of us we are pretty pitiful.

Lack of sleep, a teething toddler, a newborn, me recovering from surgery and Adam's severe back pain made for a long week. So today my fabulous sister came over and played with her nieces while Adam and I went out for an afternoon date. It was so nice to sit in a quiet restaurant with an appetizer and drinks and just chat.

So here's hoping for more sleep, an end to teething, a pain-free hubby and more days enjoying my little sweet peas!!