My Life as MaMa

Mckinlee's Actual Birthday Celebration

2012-02-08T14:57:00.000-05:00

Monday was bundle's actual birthday. I was so excited that both hubby and I were able to take the day off to celebrate with her. I love celebrating my children's big day. I know that at this point in time they are too young to understand it, but I love to make them feel as special as possible on their special day.

Monday night Nick and I had some special one on one cuddle time with Mckinlee at midnight. We allowed her to play in our bed, we sang happy birthday, and we just took in every cute face and snuggle she had to give.

The next morning she woke up early, we sang happy birthday again, I nursed her, and then she snuggled into me and fell asleep. This never happens! She has never been a good snuggle in bed baby. I was so thrilled though, and we all slept in snuggling until 10. We then got up, rushed to get ready, and we headed to the children's museum.

Once we arrived at the museum we had lunch, and then we attended a movie in the Omnimax Theatre. The omnimax is basically a movie theatre with a screen that encirlces you, and it makes you feel as though you are actually a part of the movie. The movie of choice was "Train Ride Through the Rocky Mountains". We knew Caleb would love it, and he did. He was so excited. He would say "Me ride BIG Choo Choo".

Once the omnimax was finished we headed downstairs to the children's area. Caleb and Mckinlee both really enjoyed themselves. It is so cute to see how much they change each time we go back. Caleb was so much more independent, and Mckinlee was actually able to take part in a lot of the activities this time. Caleb was also able to feed fish and turtles, and to my surprise he reached right out and took a live worm from the worker to feed the fish with...so unlike my child. He really is turning more and more into a little boy every day.

(My smart boy sorted this all by himself!)

We stayed at the museum for most of the day, and then we headed home for dinner. Once we arrived home we were greeted with cupcakes from auntie K, and both Caleb and Mckinlee were able to enjoy one of their very own.

It was such a great first birthday with my sweet baby girl!

Mckinlee 1 year

2012-02-08T14:33:00.000-05:00

Sweet girl, you are now a one year old!! I can't believe I am actually typing those words because this year has literally flown by in the blink of an eye. You are no longer my little infant, but are now turning into a sweet, little, dramatic toddler. You bring me so much joy and love every day, and I am so thankful to have my little one-year-old girl to snuggle in my arms.

Mckinlee at 1 Year

Sleeping: You are back on schedule. This past week you were fighting your sleep like crazy. I literally almost had a panic attack the day of your party because you would NOT nap. You screamed, you fussed, you threw your binky out of the bed, and you did very little sleeping. However, you are now napping like a pro and sleeping great at night once again. You nap two times a day 10-11 and 1-3ish. You go to bed around 7:30/8 and sleep until about 8:30 am.

Eating: You are still taking in 3 meals a day, and you have at least 2 snack times. You have an allergy to whole milk, and so we are going to try soy. As of right now you are nursing 3-4 times a day for your milk consumption, but if soy milk works with your system we will start cutting back nursing sessions. I am debating whether or not I want to go ahead and wean, or if I want to let you nurse at least once a day for the remainder of winter. I know the breast milk is so good for your immune system, and I am not sure that I am ready to take that away from you. You however, weaned yourself from bottles. You refuse to take them now. You will drink out of a sippy, but will not take it if there is formula in it.

Size: You are still teeny. I had you to the doctor a few weeks ago when you were sick and the scale said 16 lbs with your clothes on. Today at your well check we stripped you to your diaper and you were 15 lbs and 13.5 ounces (5th%) and you were 27 3/4 inches (15%). I asked the doctor if we should be concerned about your weight and he said no. He said that it was just the clothes that made a difference with your weight your last 2 appointments. He basically verified what I have thought all along, you are just going to be petite like me. You did grow 1 1/2 inches though, and he as very happy with that. You are wearing anywhere from a size 3-6 month (shirts/dresses) to 12 months. You have to have at least 9 month pants to fit you in length. You are wearing a size 2/3 shoe, and a size 2 diaper.

Speech: You are saying mama, dada, Bella, bye, hi, and you have said more one time.

Teeth: You have your bottom right tooth.

Exciting New Things:

You took your first steps at your party, and the photographer caught them on camera! I can not wait to get them back!!
You are still crawling/cruising everywhere, but have not tried to walk yet.
You walk behind push toys
You hold a phone up to your ear and say "hi"
You always move your finger quickly over your lips to make the "bbbbb" sound.
You love to say Bella's name.
You have become even more of a mamas girl if that is even possible. I literally can not sit you down or get out of your sight for a minute without you fussing and crawling after me.
You really are a dramatic girl, but I love that you know what you want and fight for it.
You have started going to people you recognize easier.
You love to play with daddy.
You love to chase Caleb.
You climb on everything!! I constantly have to monitor you because you find things to climb on that I never would have thought would be a danger.
You love to stand at the back door and look out.
Your cranky time of day is from 5-dinner time. I generally always have to cook dinner with you in the sling or on my hip.
You are moving to your big girl car seat this week rear facing still.
You know to go down steps and off the couch backwards.
You clap all the time, and you make the most adorable stinker/excited face.
You dance anytime music comes on.
You will not keep a bow in your hair or socks on your feet.
You have enough hair to stick a bow in now, but you always pull it out.
You celebrated your first birthday and had your first birthday party. You were adorable with your smash cake (pics to come)

I love you so much sweet baby girl. Happy Birthday!

Some Info to Pass On

2012-02-07T15:05:00.001-05:00

I am writing a post on car seat safety today. I will be the first to admit, that I did not do enough research about car seats when Caleb was an infant. I knew which "pattern" I liked, and I knew the car seat was installed correctly, but I realize that I did a lot of things "wrong", due to the lack of knowledge. After Mckinlee was born I started following my birth board on baby center, and I have learned so much about car seat safety. I am so thankful for this knowledge, because I have seen first hand in my family the damage a car accident can cause. I am not writing this post to make any mother feel targeted or upset, but simply to pass on the knowledge that I have learned. After all, car accidents are the number one killer of children each year, and as parents it is our responsibility to do everything in our power to keep them safe.

General car seat knowledge for both an infant seat and a 5 point harness seat.

First of all since it is winter it is important to know that Winter coats are unsafe in a car seat. I was unaware of this with Caleb and I feel as though I put him in danger. You can simply put the coat on backwards to keep their arms warm, or provide a blanket. Here is a great video about why it is unsafe.

http://youtu.be/CNGT9eBL_gg

Proper strap placement. I have to admit that I have cringed at various pictures on facebook, blogs, and other Internet sites due to the placement of their car seat straps. I just hate to imagine something happening to their sweet baby due to lack of knowledge. With that being said.

Proper strap placement: Straps are to be tight (unable to pinch to bunch), and harness buckle is to be pulled to armpit level. It is unsafe if it is down at the bellybutton. This can cause the child to be thrown from the car in the case of an accident.

Improper strap placement: Loose, and down below armpit level.

Importance of Rear Facing: I know that the guidelines for this rule have changed in the last year. The recommendations used to be 1 year and 20 lbs. The baby needed to be both ONE YEAR and 20 lbs. However, the new guideline is age 2. I admit I switched Caleb forward facing around 16 months. He was always a big boy, but I did not want to switch him at a year. I waited until I thought he was ready, but if I could do it over I would have waited longer. Mckinlee, however, will be rear facing until at least 2 and possibly after. The thing that you need to realize is that even though babies may be larger, or appear stronger their neck muscles are unable to withstand the impact caused from a collision. If they are forward facing their heads can literally be snapped from their neck due to impact. Forward Facing is not a milestone! It is actually illegal in the US to have a baby under one forward facing, but I know various mothers are ill instructed to do so. Research your options when it comes to your child's convertible car seat. Almost all can rear face until at least 30 lbs, and some up to 40. We just purchased the Graco My Ride 360 for Mckinlee and it will rear face up to 40 lbs. Here is a video on the importance of rear facing as long as possible. http://youtu.be/sssIsceKd6U

5 Point Harness as Long as Possible is Safer. Moving your child from a 5 point harness carseat is not a milestone to hit quickly. There are various car seats that go up to high weight limits that keep the 5 point harness. Here is a video on the importance. http://youtu.be/CNGT9eBL_gg

Height/Weight Limitations: It is important to be familiar with your car seat. On the side sticker it should include expiration date and the height and weight limits. If not, you can look it up online. I see babies well past the height, weight, and age limits in infant car seats all the time, and that is not safe. There are restrictions for a reason. Please, research your seat, and move your child to are convertible seat once they have reached at least one of the limitations.

The bar to the infant seat is actually unsafe to be left up while driving. I was completely unaware of this until a few months ago, and I felt horrible that I never knew. Leaving the bar up actually keeps the seat from folding against the backseat in a collision as it is made to do. I always thought that since they made cute toys to dangle from the bar that it was meant to be left up. This is not the case however, and a mistake that I have made for 2 years.

Car seat safety is something every mother needs to research for themselves. I am so glad I have learned all of this new information and that I can implement it all in my car to keep my children as safe as possible. I hope you take this information and put it to use with your family as well.

Happy Birthday Mckinlee

2012-02-06T21:32:00.000-05:00

Happy birthday to my sweet baby girl! I love you more than life!

First year video (ps for some reason it will not play on iphones)

http://youtu.be/OkThvWKCYeY

Worry is Like a Rocking Chair

2012-01-30T20:04:00.000-05:00

Worry is like a rocking chair; it will give you something to do,but it will not get you anywhere".

I will be the first to admit that I am a huge worrier. I mean huge. Trust me when I say that I can take any situation and figure out a reason or a way to worry about something that MIGHT go wrong. My worry problem has magnified by 1000 since I had my children. There is something about the love that a mother has for her child that can cause her mind to never rest again. I mean this world is a scary place, and so many bad things happen daily. Horrible events occur, and I cringe in prayer BEGGING God to never allow it to happen to my family.

I am also a worrier who likes to read blogs. While I was pregnant with Caleb I came across one to many blogs about babies who had been diagnosed with cancer. I followed their stories, mourned with their families from my computer screen when Jesus called them home, and began to worry about my unborn child. Let me just tell you that the what ifs really started to take effect on me. They were causing me so much anxiety that I literally would take Caleb to the doctor for every sniffle because I did not know if it was a sign of cancer.

I have since forced myself to steer clear of such reads. If I happen to see a prayer request with a link to the families blog, I simply pray for the family, but I do not allow myself to read into the story any further. However, today I accidentally stumbled upon a story of a family who lost their sweet baby to cancer today. I did not allow myself to read further into the story, but the fear welled up again as I looked at the pictures of this sweet baby. The pictures always get me. The pictures of the happy mama and dada playing in the snow with their baby. Their healthy looking baby. I think the fact that people that are undiagnosed with cancer look so normal is one thing that really freaks me out. They look so normal, so healthy, and happy, however, their is a silent killer taking over their bodies. Yes, those "before the diagnoses" pictures get me every time.....

I have just finished a bible study called Calm My Anxious Heart, and it is amazing. It has taught me so much about God's love, and how little I actually trust in him. Today, as the worry starts to consume my mind again I have been reflecting on this book.

"My life has been full of terrible misfortunes...most of which NEVER happened".

"Worry doesn't empty tomorrow of its sorrows, it empties today of its strengths"

"Worry says I don't trust God, I don't believe in His ability to handle my child, my marriage,my health".

"We are to entrust our tomorrows to him and live just for TODAY".

"He is in the tomorrows. It is tomorrow that fills a man with dread, God is already there. All the tomorrows of our life have to pass Him before they can get to us".

"What is your worst what if? Can I trust God with my worst What If? Would God still be God, would he still be Sovereign? Would He still be love and goodness?"

"I ask God to give me the strength to live today, just today, to leave the fears and worries of tomorrow with Him".

(Calm my Anxious Heart by Linda Dillow)

This Bible study has rocked my heart. I literally ache in pain for the mothers who have lost children too young, and I fear for my children as well. God has spoken so much to me through mothers who have gone through tragedy. They still worship, they still breathe, they see that God is working good through their children's stories, and they know that this was part of his plan for their life. They were meant to love a child, loose that child, share the child's story, and be a witness to the Lord through it. They were meant to be the only God some people see in this world, and many have come to know God through them. I always wonder if I could be a that strong. I always wonder if I could praise God that high in the storm. I know that God would hold me every step of the way, and that he would be the only one that could help me learn to live again. However, I fear that plan. I fear that God would ever allow the death of one of my children to be part of our story. With that being said though I am slowly learning to step back, give God control of my tomorrows and realize that he would still be a loving, compassionate, amazing God even if my worst What If were to ever come true.

I have taken the time to love a little harder on my babies today. I have taken the time to snuggle when they cry despite my schedule, because I am so thankful for each day that I get to spend with them here on Earth.

Please keep Paxtin's parents in your prayers as they deal with the reality of life without their sweet baby girl.

Crafting Has Begun

2012-01-17T16:41:00.000-05:00

I am head over heels in party planning mode right now. I only have about 2 hours a day to work on party stuff, and only about 2 weeks until party day! I have been shopping, searching Pinterest like crazy, and narrowing down my ideas. Today 2 projects finally came to completion.

You may remember this photo from my Party Inspiration post. It was pinned via Pinterest (of course).

This photo did not come with a tutorial, so I racked my brains a few days on how to make it. I went to Hobby Lobby and searched for a large M. They did not have one quite as big as I would like, but they had one that would do the job. The M was 2.99. I then went to Michael's and searched their floral department. They were having a buy one get one free deal. I bout 4 bouquets of pink roses for 4 dollars. I will also be attaching white ribbon, but I have not added that yet.

So List of What you Need:

Letter or choice (Hobby Lobby wood section)
4 Bouquets of your choice of flower
Hot Glue Gun
ribbon in your color of choice

I started with my bouquet of flowers, and my plain M.

I then started pulling off petals one by one. Flowers are super simple to disassemble just by pulling from the bottom and working your way up. I then took my hot glue gun and placed glue in the desired location. I found that it worked best to bunch the flowers very close together.

This is the end result. I am super happy with how it turned out. I just have to add ribbon to the back, and it will be complete. I think this will be a great wreath for the party entrance.

I also made this today via an idea on Pinterest. LOVE! It was actually super simple.

What you need

Canvas (Hobby Lobby sells 2 for 5.99)
Peel and Stick letters from Hobby Lobby (2.50).
Paint
Paintbrush

You first take your blank canvas, and place your stick on letters in the desired location. After the letters are placed you paint the canvas and the letters. Allow the canvas to dry, and then peel the letters. Super simple!

Random

2012-01-17T16:09:00.000-05:00

This past weekend was great! I had Friday off work and there was a little snow on the ground, so I took advantage of having a fun day with the kids. While Mckinlee was napping I brought bowls of snow in for Caleb to play with. He enjoyed scooping the snow from one bowl to another, and he also enjoyed eating it. I kept telling him it was gross, but he ignored me...I can't say I blame him because snow does taste good. After a little while playing inside with the snow was not enough for little man, so we ventured outside. It was freezing, but he had so much fun. Once Mckinlee woke up I quickly dressed the kids and we headed to Otterville for a fun day.

Saturday Caleb and Nick played in the snow together for a long time. Caleb was in heaven.

Sunday we ventured to Ikea, and we spent the entire day there. We went looking for Caleb a big boy bed, and we found one. Until now Caleb has had the cutest little car bed, but I have ideas for how his big boy room will be decorated and they do not include a car bed. Also, we currently do not have a guest room, so I wanted to get a bed that could be used for guests as well. We initially went looking for a twin bed, but we found a full bed at an amazing price. We brought it home, and Nick and his dad put it together. Caleb was so excited about it! He kept saying "My bed" "Pa and dada build my bed". He loved jumping in it, and rolling all around. I love it because I no longer have to be squeezed into a toddler bed in the middle of the night when he needs extra cuddles.

Today has been kind of blah. Little miss is sick. She started running a high fever yesterday, and has been super sleepy. I took her to the doctor today, and they tested her for everything, but nothing came back. So, she was diagnosed with a viral infection ugh. I never want my kids to be sick, but I hate hearing it is viral because there is nothing you can do for it. If the fever is still here on Thursday we have to return to the doctor, and have her cathed to check for a UTI. I sure hope my baby is feeling better before then. She did gain a whole pound though! YAY! She is 16.8 lbs now...I would say give or take a few ounces because I did not strip her down to her diaper.

My attempt to Get In Shape

2012-01-12T13:51:00.000-05:00

So, it is a new year and along with it comes resolutions. I generally do not make resolutions, because 9 times out of 10 I do not stick with them. However, this year I am really trying hard to change a few things in my life for the better.

I should begin by saying that I have never been athletic, enjoyed working out, ate very healthy, or worried about my weight. God blessed me with a small frame, and for years that has been what has carried me through. I have worked out in the past, but never really done much else, and I always seem to work out for a little bit and then stop. However, after having my babies I realize that even though I am still small, and within a healthy weight range, I am not in shape, I do not eat healthy, and my stomach needs some work. Breastfeeding has been my "diet" for the past year, but now that we are nearing the end, I know I need to find another plan.

I have joined the world of MyFitnessPal on the iphone, and I am very impressed with it. I have never counted calories before, and I had no idea where to start. However, this app makes it super easy with its bar code scanner, and large database of food. I am trying to stick to a 1200 calorie diet, and lucky for my breastfeeding the 3 times a day that I do automatically removes 250 calories.

I am also jumping back into the 30 Day Shred, for like the 4th time. This time I am determined to stick with it. However, I have to admit doing the same work out for 10 days is so BORING!! However, I have been feeling the soreness, and I hope it really does work at the end of 30 days.

I am not going to be posting a whole lot about this on my blog. However, I did want to post about it to remember my beginning stats, and also to have a little accountability. I know that you all could care less if I work out or not, but the fact that I wrote this post makes me feel as though I should keep it up.

Beginning Stats:
Waist: 27 inches
Hips: 34 inches (needs serious attention)
Thighs: 20 inches
Weight: 107 lbs

Mckinlee...My Prayer for You

2012-01-11T13:10:00.000-05:00

My sweet baby girl you are on the edge of turning one, and I am so taken back by how fast you are changing. You have grown in the blink of an eye, and I find myself longing for the growth to stop. However, I am also torn because I am so excited to see the person you will one day become. I have big dreams for your life sweet baby. I pray BIG for you and your brother, and I am so excited to see the person that God makes you. I long to hold you in my arms, and kiss and snuggle you forever, but I know that one day soon you will grow up and become an amazing woman that I will be proud to call mine.

I pray daily for you sweet baby.
I pray that God will bless you with health, safety and a long life. I pray that you will one day be a little old woman sitting in a rocking chair, proud and happy of the life that she lived.
I pray that all serious sickness will not become a part of your life or a part of anyone you loves life. I pray that if it does that God will carry you through it, and that you will always depend on him.
I pray that you grow up with confidence and a kind heart. I pray that you never feel anyone is better than you, and that you are always happy with the person that God created you to be.
I pray that you are kind, slow to anger, and quick to listen. I pray that you access situations before you allow your anger to get the best of you.
I pray that you have compassion for people. I pray that you will never become a bully or a child that makes fun of others. Your words are powerful things sweet baby, and they should never be used to hurt another.
I pray that you will come to know God at an early age
I pray that you count your blessings on a daily basis. I pray that you understand that even though there may be things that you want but do not have, that God has blessed you with more than you could ever need. Always remember your blessings during those hard days of life.
I pray that you have strength through your first heartache. It will hurt and it will hurt bad, but as the Brad Paisley song says "pain like that is fast and its rare". I will be there to talk if you need me, I will be there for you to cry on, and I will be there to listen even if you need to repeat the same thing 100 times to me just to help you process what happened. Always remember that your Prince Charming will one day come.
When the heartache comes turn to God. God teaches us the most when we are broken. His word is powerful when you are searching for comfort. The words that you need to hear are always right there.
I pray that you love and that you love hard. Allow yourself to get lost in that amazing feeling. Allow your self to experience the butterflies, the dances in the snow, the long talks, and the first kisses that come with your first love and all the loves after that.
I pray that even though you love hard you realize that you are a prize meant to be won over by the best Prince Charming. You are a special special person, and you deserve to be loved, treated like a Princess, listened to, romanced, and honored. You deserve a man who will rush home to see you just because he loves you that much. You deserve a man who wants to play games, help you cook, rub your back, take you on dates, cuddle you on the couch, take care of you, fight for you, pray with you, and a man who will go out of his way to tell you that you are beautiful. You deserve the world, and don't ever forget that. Never settle sweet baby. Make a list of what you want in a man and stick to it. You deserve a man of integrity, compassion, love, and of God.
I pray that in your search for Prince Charming you honor your body. It is not yours to give away to anybody and everybody. It is special, it is meant to be loved forever.
I pray that you will drive safely when you first get your license. I pray that God will protect you and all your passengers and will put angels around your car.
I pray that when you graduate high school that you have a direction of where you want your life to go. If you want to go to college that's great. If you want to travel the world first I will support you. Dream big and live out those dreams.
I pray that you never give into drugs and alcohol in a way that will damage your life. I pray that you have a wise mind, and understand that you can do way more without them than with them.
I pray that when you find your husband that you will have a happy, romantic marriage.
I pray that you will one day experience motherhood, and all the beauty that it holds. I pray for those babies that you will one day rock. I pray safety for your pregnancies, and that you never have to experience the pain of loosing a child.
I pray that you and your husband will love God, and that you will bring your children up in his ways.
I pray that whatever obstacles in life fall in your lap that you will . He is there to hold you, he is there to love you, and he is there to help you through.
I pray that one day when I am gone you will remember these words. I pray that you will understand that I want nothing but the best for your life. I pray big for you. I want you to always know that I love God, I believe he is real, and I want you to know him as well.

I love you more than life my sweet baby girl. I am so thankful that during this moment in time you are mine to hold, and I am so excited to see the woman you will one day become. I am your mother now, then and forever, and my love for you will never cease.

Camping in January

2012-01-09T14:32:00.000-05:00

Warning: Ignore picture quality. They were taken with my phone in bad lighting.

I got a little idea late Thursday night for our Friday night adventure. All mama's with young kids realize how different weekends are now. We generally spend at least one weekend night at home, and I like to have fun activities for those nights as much as possible. I decided it would be great fun to "camp" in our living room that night.

I spent the entire day Friday telling Caleb that we were going to camp in a tent tonight. He of course has never seen or been in a tent, so this did not mean much to him. My sister ran to the store that day, and she picked us up things for smores, and when dada got home our camping adventure began.

Nick and I had purchased a 6 man tent right after we got married, and we have not used it yet. I do not think I realized how big it would be. It literally took up our entire living room. Caleb was so excited, and he kept calling it his house.

He loved kicking balls around it before we placed the air mattress inside. Mckinlee and Caleb both loved crawling through the tunnel, and around and around the bed. Mckinlee loved her "11 month od style smore", but Caleb hated his. He spit the marshmallow back into the bag. Who doesn't like marshmallows? He did however, love the chocolate and kept asking for "more choc please".

We did not end up sleeping in the tent, but it sure was a fun Friday activity.

Mckinlee 11 Months

2012-01-06T17:55:00.000-05:00

We are here. My baby is 11 months old. One month away from ending her infancy and entering into toddler hood. How did this happen? I am still taken back by the fact that this year has gone by so fast. I guess that is the story of motherhood though. Time is so fleeting.

Mckinlee at 11 Months

Eating: You are only nursing 2-3 times a day for maybe 5 minutes at a time. I realize that you have basically decided that you are done. This makes me sad, but I know that any mommy milk I can give you is good, so I will continue to nurse you 2-3 times daily until you turn a year. You are taking bottles of formula as well. You are taking formula to try to add some extra calories, and because my milk supply is basically non existent when I pump. You are still eating 3 meals a day and you usually have 2 snacks.

Sleeping: You are still sleeping through the night from 8:30-9. You are taking 2 naps daily unless you wake up late. You usually nap in the morning from 10-11 and from 1-3. You are teething right now so that has messed with a few of your naps.

Size: Still tiny. You have grown into 6-9 month sleepers due to length. You can still wear 3,6,9 month shirts. You have outgrown your size 2 shoes and are now in 3's. You are filling out a size 2 diaper now.

Speech: You are a mocking bird when it comes to noises, but you have not added any extra words this month.

Exciting New Things:

You have your first tooth coming through right now. Bottom right. You got your first tooth at the exact same age as Caleb.
You are able to stand on your own a little bit longer every day.
You love to look out our back glass door and bang and squeal.
You jump towards dada now and love to play.
Bath time is still your favorite, and you all but dive out of our arms to get in.
You cling tight to me when I try to put you down.
You arch your back and stiffen your legs if you do not want to sit.
You signed with a modeling agency this month along with brother. We will see if anything comes of it.
You love to climb anything and everything. Stairs are your favorite.
You love to pass stuff back and forth. You always hand it to me and say "heeerr". I swear you are saying here.
You are teething hardcore. You have been extra fussy and clingy, and you try to bite at my shoulder. Poor baby.

I love you so much my sweet baby girl. I am going to hold you extra tight this month.

Friday FunDay

2012-01-06T15:43:00.000-05:00

This week of getting back in the grind of real life has been a little rough. With each day it has gotten a little better, but still a little blah. I decided yesterday that I wanted to do something fun, and out of the house with the kiddos today, so we ventured once again to Otterville. I swear this establishment is a life saver during these long winter months (even though today was unusually gorgeous for January).

Mornings when I know we are leaving the house are a little different than normal. I am a mama that thrives on a schedule and in turn so do my children. However, on mornings when we are venturing out our schedule is a little more than hectic. I make sure that both E and Mckinlee have a clean diaper and are dressed, and then I put them both down for their morning nap 30 minutes early. I do this so they will be ready, but inevitably one always ends up pooping and I have to take time to change them before we leave. While they are napping I rush to get myself fed, ready, bags packed and Caleb dressed. Once all that is complete we are ready to head out.

The boys were so excited about going to Otterville this morning. They kept talking about the choo choo's all the way there. Once we arrived they had a blast. Train tables first, grocery store second, back to train tables, face painting, vet room etc. They had so much fun. Caleb also decided he needed to pee potty and so I took 3 kids into public restroom by myself, only for my 2 year old to decide he no longer needed to pee potty :). I had 3 wonderful kids for our lunch break, and Caleb even helped me drag the highchairs over. After lunch it was ball pit and play land time and all 3 kids had a blast. I do not know what I am going to do with this 11 MONTH OLD girly...she thinks she is big stuff. She loved climbing through the play place and she definitely kept me on my toes. She even got to enjoy the ball pit for a few minutes with Caleb and E when no other kids were in there.

I do not shoe favoritism to my daughter even though there are more pictures of her. This little flash of lightening will not hold still for a second, and this is literally the best shot of him I got.

I used to think I would never be able to make it out of the house with 2 kids, and now I look back on that and think pshh that was a piece of cake :). I just hope people out in public do not think that all 3 kids belong to me :).

I'm in Denial....but it is Time to Plan

2012-01-05T14:20:00.000-05:00

So, my baby girl will be a year old in a MONTH!! I am hanging onto the fact that she is still 10 months until tomorrow because that makes me feel as though she is still little. However, all of us second time moms know how fast the 11th month zooms by, and quite frankly I am in a little denial. It literally does not seem possible that we are here already, but we are and it is time to start planning her big first bday party. The party that is actually one month from YESTERDAY!! eeekkk. There is no turning back now because the invites have already been mailed.

I am a huge birthday lover. I LOVE to plan, execute and participate in over the top parties. I especially love to plan them for my little ones. I know that they have no idea how much effort, time, and thought I put into their parties. I know they would be happy with just a cardboard box, a cupcake and one on one time, but I love to make their big days extra special. I mean after all it is a huge celebration. I mean their birthdays signify the day that our lives changed for the better, and the day in which the loves of my life entered the world. That is a cause for celebration for any mama.

I have been tossing ideas for Mckinlee's first birthday back and forth, and I have debated various themes and ideas. However, I have narrowed it down to one idea, and I am super excited to execute it. We are going to do a "shabby chic"ish first birthday. I say ish, because unlike Caleb's 2 birthday celebrations this one is not completely themed, but I have drawn tons of inspiration from other shabby chic events.

I had her birthday outfit custom made through a seller on etsy. I basically took 3 different designs that she had in her shop and combined them. She was a great seller to work with, and her turn around time was 2-3 days. The outfit is already on its way, and I am so excited to receive it. She is priced very reasonably, and I would highly recommend her.

This was my first inspiration. I loved the strawberries and cream color, but I thought Mckinlee might get a little chilly in February.

At first I was just going to add lace leg warmers, but then I discovered this little beauty.

I contacted the seller to see if she could make it in the 2 tone colors like the first picture and she said yes. I also had her add straps so it will not be a hassle pulling it up as she is passed around at the party.

I am also going to add the pearls and hopefully a big bow, but my daughter is still on strike over the bows. During the smash cake she will just have pearls and a diaper on (too cute).

I am still in a debate within my own head of how to decorate the front entrance. I have loved how both front entrances turned out at Caleb's parties, and I want hers to be equally as great. Here are my 3 choices.Which one do you like best?

I am loving the simplicity of mason jars, lace and baby's breath. I think simple vases and flowers will be all throughout the party for the decor.

I am in love with both of these cakes. My sister has already researched how to make them and has assured me they will be super simple. I am so excited.

Smash cake

I love the decor under the highchair

I love both of these ideas of displaying pictures from throughout the year. I will also have her 3 big frames from her nursery throughout the party as well.

I really want to recreate this table. It may just be for gifts because the food will be served along the bar at my in laws house, but I love this look. This was actually my first inspiration for colors and decor.

I have various photos that I want to make sure I get. Here are a few ideas. Of course there are tons more that must be taken, but I like these photos of Mckinlee before.

I still have a ton to make, plan, pick up and get ready. Menu has to be planned, food has to be prepared, and the list goes on. I am not excited about my baby girl turning one at all, but since it has to happen we might as well do it in style!

Back in the Grind

2012-01-04T16:17:00.000-05:00

Today was the first day back to reality since the new year began. Nick was back to work, and the little boy I nanny returned today after a 3 week break. I was anticipating a little chaos today, a little trouble getting back into the groove, and my anticipation was correct. The day has not been anything too chaotic, but it has been an adjustment. I had to adjust my morning schedule back to "work" time, and that was a little rough. My beautiful, wonderful children have been sleeping until 9 am over Christmas break, and I have become a little spoiled by that. Waking up at 8 am this morning was a little rough, and I greeted my employer with runny under eye make up, nappy hair, and a non showered body. I am sure that she was just thrilled to leave her child with the walking zombie that was myself :).

My children both slept in until 9 again this morning, 9:30 for Caleb. I actually checked on him because I thought he was not breathing or someone had kidnapped him (I'm not overly paranoid I promise). He was contently sleeping away. However, when he awoke he had peed the bed, and I had a huge mess to clean up. I knew I would kick myself for not placing another diaper on him after his 3 am "pee potty" incident. I guess I thought he would be good until morning. I was wrong. So, I gave Caleb a bath with a 10 month old and a one year old "helping" from outside the tub. I then got him dressed, fed, and I stripped and disinfected his bed, washed his bedding, made his bed, and finally breathed a sigh of relief for that task being complete. The little ones were put down for a nap, I had some breakfast and cuddled with my little man. He was wiping away my kisses and laughing so I only kissed him about a billion times. Melt my heart. I was then greeted with the most awful poopy diaper from E known to man. I was literally gagging, and praying to God to help me through that one. I do not think my house will ever smell normal again.

Caleb has had a bit of a hard adjustment "sharing" his new toys. He is usually great with sharing, but in his defense he has had 3 weeks of not having to share with anyone other than Mckinlee, and she is not hard to distract away from his "toy of interest". I may have thrown too much at him with E being back at the house and Pres girl coming to visit. He was just a little overwhelmed and cranky today, and I think I heard "MINE" a million more times that I would have liked. However, once given some lunch and his beloved binky he was a happy camper for the rest of Pres's visit, and the kids played great until it was time for their nap (which was an hour 1/2 later than normal).

It was an interesting morning getting back in the grind. Dirty diapers, wet beds, tantrums, fights over toys, snuggles and all. A day in our normal life is not always exciting, picture perfect, or happy, but I am so grateful for the days I have with my little ones...even the not so pleasant ones.

First Snow of the Year

2012-01-02T20:22:00.000-05:00

We awoke this morning to FREEZING temperatures. It was soo cold. The kids and I had plans to go meet baby Mila and take dinner to her mama and dada, and so we ventured out into the freezing weather. It was flurrying a little on our drive, but I really did not expect it to stick. We visited with Lauren for a while, held baby Mila, and then we started home. It was still just flurrying a little and cold.

Once we arrived home I put the kids down for their nap, and started to eat lunch. That is when it really started snowing. The snow was coming down so fast, and the ground was quickly becoming covered. I took a short nap after lunch and then we all awoke to a winter wonderland. Mckinlee loved looking out the window at it, and Caleb had mixed emotions. When he first woke up I told him to look out his window at the snow. At first he was mad at the snow for being on "his car"...he is a little OCD at times. However, a minute later he was saying "play snow" and flapping his arms in a snow angel making motion. It is still up in the air where he learned how to make a snowman. My guess is Frosty.

I quickly bundled Caleb and Mckinlee both up to go play in the snow. I was loving Caleb in his snow outfit this year. I can not believe it still fits. After everyone was dressed we headed outside. It was FREEZING. I quickly decided it was too cold for Mckinlee so she stayed inside with Auntie K. However, Caleb LOVED it. He made footprints, handprints, snow angels, jumped, and brushed the snow with the car snow scraper. He would just giggle and run around. He was soo cute.
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Hit and Run

2012-01-01T22:05:00.000-05:00

On Thursday night my family and I were in a hit and run accident. Thankfully it was not a serious accident, no one was injured and the car was not severely damaged. However, it was an interesting turn of events to say the least.

After Nick got off work Thursday night we had plans to pick up take out and head to a friends house for a game night. We loaded the kids in the car and started on our way. We were stopped at a red light at an intersection and Nick and I were just talking and Caleb and Mckinlee were content in the backseat. All of a sudden Nick swerves the car to the right and screams out and then next thing I knew there was a shake and a loud bang. A man who was turning right had come into our lane and side swiped us. Nick realized immediately that the man was going to keep going and not pull over so he turned our car around and went after the car. Of course throughout this process he was getting a lecture from me to "Be careful" "call the cops" "our babies are in the car so be careful" "be careful" (you get the picture). He got behind the car that had hit us and started honking and flashing his lights. The guy driving the car just proceeded to flip us off. The car turned into a trailer park and we started to follow when we saw blue lights behind us. We were being pulled over ughh. Nick reluctantly pulled over while the car that hit us sped away. We were sure that he was just going to pull through the trailer park and back onto the main road and we would loose him...

The cop came to our window and Nick explained to the cop what had happened. The cop then told us to drive through the park looking for the car and he would follow us. We started looking expecting not to find anything, but to our dismay we found the car, driver mirror hanging off and all, parked in front of a trailer. The cop went to the door and a lady answered. She said that she did not know who the car belonged to. She was trying to make us and the cop think that the driver had parked and ran. However, the cop asked to enter her home, she allowed him, and inside he found the guy hiding.
Once he found the driver he brought him outside, checked his car, checked him for DUI and drugs, and arrested him for a hit and run. We just had to give a statement and get a report from the cop for our insurance and after we went on with our night.

Honestly reflecting on the situation I realized how different it could have turned out. Obviously first thought is my babies could have been hurt, but THANK GOD they were not. The car could have been a lot more damaged than a mirror hanging off and a small dent, and the guy could have avoided going to jail if he would not have acted so irrationally. I know justice was served, and I am grateful because I truly think the guy was on something. There was really no other explanation for why he took the turn as wide as he did. It was a crazy turn of events on a otherwise peaceful Thursday night.

The Final Post of Christmas

2011-12-27T15:04:00.000-05:00

After opening presents at home on Christmas morning we headed to Nick's parents house for breakfast and more gifts. Once we arrived we realized that we had forgotten our gifts at home, so I volunteered to run back and get them. We then ate a yummy breakfast and opened gifts. Caleb and Mckinlee were once again beyond spoiled, and the rest of us enjoyed exchanging gifts White Elephant style.

We relaxed for most of the day after gifts and just watched movies and played games. We then ate Christmas dinner and packed up to head home.

That night we celebrated at our home with my dad and sisters. My dad bought Caleb a 25 ft train set, and to say he was in heaven is an understatement! He LOVES it. We spent most of our time watching him play with his train and laughing.

This is Mckinlee's twin by the way. They are identical as babies...yea we are screwed when she is a teenager!

Christmas was so great this year. It was a great 3rd Christmas with Caleb and a great 1st with Mckinlee.

Santa Came!

2011-12-27T14:53:00.000-05:00

Santa came to our house Christmas Eve night, and he left a ton of goodies from the North Pole. Our Elf, Up, must have given him a good report. Santa must have been searching Mama's pinterest ideas because he even left a trail of lights leading to the presents for the kids to follow the next morning.

I barely slept that night. I was so excited to see the joy on my babies faces the next morning. However, my kids decided to sleep and sleep and sleep until 9:30. WOW! They never sleep that late.

When Caleb and Mckinlee awoke they quickly discovered the lights leading to the living room. Once they arrived in the living room Caleb quickly ran to his train set and said "My choo choo". Mckinlee was very interested in brothers toys as well, and she finally discovered some of her own. They had a blast playing and moving from toy to toy. Daddy showed them how a bunch of toys work, and we played and played.

I decided they needed to take a break from playing to eat a little something, and Caleb informed me that he wanted pizza.....not really what I had in mind...but it was Christmas after all. So, Caleb enjoyed a Christmas movie while eating pizza at 10 am :).

Christmas Eve

2011-12-27T14:25:00.000-05:00

The night before Christmas Eve when we arrived back from my mother's Caleb was still a little wound up. We were allowing him to sleep in gram's guestroom, and to get him to go to bed I told him that he could watch a show on TV. He does not have a TV in his room at home, so this was so exciting to him. I turned on Toy Story, and told him that we needed to say our prayers first. Usually we say a long prayer and thank God for various things from our day. Well Caleb closed on eye, folded his hands, looked at the TV and say "Jesus Thanks Amen" as fast as he could. His eyes were then glued to the TV. I lost it. It was so cute.

After Caleb finally went to sleep "Grammy's Santa" came and placed presents in the living room. When Caleb and Mckinlee awoke the next morning they were both so excited. Caleb exclaimed "My bike, Mine", and quickly ran to ride it. Mckinlee loved her toys as well, but I think she got more excitement out of watching her big brother. She also loved the recordable book Grammy made them. I was so excited because she was still tiny enough to fit in Caleb's first Christmas pj's. Caleb was 4 months on his first Christmas wearing a size 6 month sleeper, and Mckinlee is 10 months haha. She looked so cute in them, and it brought back so many memories.

He was a little upset that I took his binky from him :)

We all showered and got ready we headed to my Aunt and Uncle's for annual Christmas Eve dinner and gift exchange. Aunt Libby outdid herself again with amazing food. It is funny how hard it is to enjoy the good food with 2 kids now. Nick and I are lucky if we get to take a bite before our food gets cold, but I guess that is the life of a parent.

After we all ate we exchanged gifts. Caleb loved all of his presents, and Mckinlee was so excited about her new cradle...as was I. It is so vintage and adorable. She loves pulling up on it, and I think she could actually fit in it because she is so tiny.

Once gift exchange was over it was time for us to head back home. We packed up, and headed north. We arrived north with just enough time to run home, change clothes, freshen up, and head out the door again. Lucky for us both kids slept amazing in the car. We headed to Nick's parents house for the Ryan family Christmas Eve. It was a blast, and Mckinlee looked sooooo cute. Everyone kept calling her the sugarplum Princess. She rocked the adorable Mudpie Christmas outfit, and the amazing tutu that her meemaw made her. The only thing she was missing was her bow...she refuses to keep bows on her head now. Caleb played so well with his cousins that night, and he was so independent. He truly is growing up way to fast.

After the party was over we headed home to jump into bed and wait for Santa Claus to arrive.

The 4 Posts of Christmas

2011-12-27T14:06:00.001-05:00

Merry Christmas everyone!! I hope that you all enjoyed celebrating our Savior's birthday, and that you had a Christmas filled with love, happiness, and family. We had a wonderful Christmas this year, and this was the first year that Caleb really understood what was going on. He was beyond precious. I have so much that I want to remember about this Christmas with my babies so be prepared for bunches of posts about it...4 to be exact.

Leading up to Christmas I really tried to instill the true meaning of Christmas in Caleb. I really want him to GET it. I do not want Christmas to only be about Santa and presents to him, but I want him to understand the true reason for the season. Since he is still so young this year I tried to teach him about Jesus in simple fun ways. One day we colored pictures of the nativity scene and turned those presents into ornaments for his grandparents. While he was coloring we would talk about each page, and discuss the Christmas story. He also unwrapped books every night leading up to Christmas, and there were a few about the birth of Jesus. He especially loved The Christmas Story book from my childhood, complete with my coloring and writing within its pages. When I would ask him who was on what page he would say "Maarrreee". "Gaaaaeee" (Joseph), "Befleheeemm", "Cow...Moo", "Star", "Baby Jesus". It melted my heart to see him understanding the Christmas Story.

On Wednesday night after Nick and I got off work we headed to my hometown. Thursday we were lazy and allowed the kids to play at grammys, cooked dinner, and visited with family. Friday we were all over the place. We visited the "office" for lunch and stayed there until around 3. Nick then took the kids back to grammys to nap, and Gram and I did a little shopping. After shopping we rushed back, ate, got dressed and headed to my mothers house for Christmas with her and my brother's family.

Caleb LOVED playing with his cousins. He does not get to see them very much since we live so far away, but he has so much fun with them when we do see them. He was a hoot playing on the bed with the older girls, and his laugh was music to all of our ears. He played so hard that he was sweating, and he and Mckinlee both slept hard that night.

Mckinlee 10 Months

2011-12-19T18:01:00.000-05:00

I am seriously slacking when it comes to taking monthly pictures and writing Mckinlee's monthly post. She is almost 11 months now and I am just getting around to writing her 10 month post. I guess better late than never?

I seriously can not wrap my mind around how fast we have gotten to this 10 1/2 month point. I almost lost my breath last night when I realized that a couple weeks after Christmas I will have to send out her FIRST BIRTHDAY INVITATIONS! Seriously? How is this happening?

Mckinlee at 10 months

Eating: You are eating three meals a day with snacks in between. You have basically sworn off all baby food. I can sometimes get you to eat some baby food fruits but it is few and far between. You will however, eat the baby food pouches (score). I also put baby food fruits on toast like jelly for you and you love it.
You have been on a bit of a nursing strike. You are just coming around a little. So far you have nursed 2 times today and had 2 bottles. The doctor recommended I give you a couple of bottles of formula a day due to weight issues, and ever since then you have a hard time nursing. You have dropped your 11 am milk feeding and you push it back to right before your 1 o clock nap. I am hoping we can continue breastfeeding until you turn a year but we will see how it goes.
You still love table food, and there is seriously nothing you turn down.

Sleeping: You are still sleeping great. You nap from 9:30-11 from 1-3 and sometimes nap from 5-6. You are going to bed around 8:30 or 9 and sleeping until 8:30 am. You are sleeping in your bed in your own room.

Size: You are still a peanut. You weigh 15 lbs 2 ounces and you are 26 1/2 inches. You were below the 5% for height and weight and your head circum. was in the 25%. You are wearing any where from 0-3 to 6-9 month clothing. You have finally outgrown 0-3 month sleepers. You are wearing a size 2 shoe and a size 1-2 diaper depending on brand.

Speech: You are so smart. You say dada, mama, Bella, baba, and bye bye. If we make noises you repeat the noise we make.

Exciting New Things:

You laugh all the time now.
You have no fear. Dada will flip you, fly you, pretend to drop you etc and you just laugh.
You always climb up the gate and squeal when dada gets home.
You dance all the time. At the first sound of music you stop what you are doing and start dancing.
You love to pat me really fast and squeal.
You have taken a huge interest in anything and everything Caleb. You always want to do exactly what he is doing and you get mad if you can't.
I think you are teething...we shall see
You are still a mamas girl, but you are going to others easier now.
You loved Santa.
Your hair is growing, and you are becoming more and more beautiful every day.
You will not keep your bows on anymore :(. You always pull the headband down around you neck and pull your bow off to eat it.
You are still so snuggly and perfect.

I love you my sweet girl. Even though you are almost one I like to think you are still a little bitty baby. The fact that you are still the size of a 4 month old helps with that picture a little :).

Favorite Things of 2

2011-12-14T14:09:00.001-05:00

My sweet boy has been growing and changing so much lately, and I am just loving him at this age. I am so amused by him daily, and I really want to remember who he was at 2. Since I am using this blog as his baby book I thought I would take the time to record some of my favorite things about him at age 2.

Whenever we say "I love you Caleb" you smile and say "Love me too".
You take your pillow, monkey, Elmo, and Scout dog with you all around the house. You make multiple trips from room to room to make sure you have every thing.
When you come into our room in the morning you will have Scout or Elmo and you will hand them to me. You will them smile and hold your little finger up and say "be right back k?...get my "pillooo" You will then bring your pillow in and say "be right back k? get my monkey" etc. It is probably one of the cutest things I have ever seen.
You named our Elf "Up", and you do not like it when he moves. You want him to stay in the same place he was the day before.
When you want to watch Blues Clues you do the blues clues dance.
You play guitar and sing to us now. You also love playing the harmonica.
You get embarrassed by dada and I. If we dance or sing you always hold you hand up and say "Bop Bop" (translation Stop).
You are talking all the time now, and you were able to name all your flash cards the other day for the first time.
You still say all colors are blue, and you will argue with me to be silly if I tell you other wise.
You love going downstairs to play with K.
You can pedal your tricycle now.
You always say please and Thanks Mom or Thanks Ga (dad).
You are a good listener for the most part, and time out is usually all the discipline you need.
You always want Kinlee to lay with you and you get sad if she will not listen.
You like to cuddle up in my lap and have me feed you your sippy like a baby.
You sleep with the lights on in your room now.
You can draw a pretty good O.
You are obsessed with trains and cars.
You always pretend to go bye bye and you have to give Kinlee and I a hug and a kiss first.
You still pat our backs when you hug us.
You love to have your back rubbed.
You can "toot" when you want to now. Lovely. You started doing it the other day and dada and I were laughing so hard we were crying. You would run up to me, toot, laugh and then run to daddy, toot and laugh. I know we shouldn't have laughed because we were encouraging the behavior but it was so funny!!!!
You can say Jesus, and God and Amen now, and you do when we pray.
You are still doing great with the potty. You independently go when you need to and then I help you wash your hands.
You call your blanket "please". I have no idea why. I don't know if it is because I always say "do you want your blanket please"? Anyway, it is the cutest!!! I think I will cry when you actually start calling it a blanket.

I feel like there are so many more cute things that I am forgetting. I am in love with this age, and with all the new things that Caleb does daily. I wish I could bottle him up at this age forever!

Count Your Teeth

2011-12-13T13:32:00.000-05:00

Yesterday Caleb had his very first dentist appointment. I know I am a little late...by about a year...but at age one he only had 2 teeth...that is how I justify it at least. I have to admit, I was super nervous about this first. Caleb hates to have you mess with his teeth. We always allow him to brush his teeth first, and then we take a turn. He always ends up screaming, and kicking...not a pretty picture. I was positive he was going to freak out while there. Mckinlee also had an appointment yesterday morning to have some blood tests done (results are back and she is fine..more info to come). Anyway, Nick and I decided to divide and conquer the appointments. He took Mckinlee and I went with Caleb.

Once we arrived at the dentist I filled out all the paper work, Caleb read some Bible stories, (He kept pointing to pictures and saying "There's Jesus...Hi my Jesus"...melt my heart), and then we played with toys for a while. He loved all the cars, and the giant chalkboard. After playing it was time to head back.

Once we arrived in the dental room Caleb sat on my lap in the dentist chair. The dentist was this little old man with the softest voice, and he was just talking away to Caleb, but Caleb did not acknowledge him because he could not hear him. It was kind of humorous. Anyway, the dentist and nurse laid him back, Caleb started crying, and I was thinking "here we go". However, they were able to count his teeth and do his fluoride treatment quickly, and Caleb never really got very worked up. They said he is still waiting on is 2 year molars, but that everything else looked great.

After all was said and done Caleb was allowed to pick out a prize. He said no thanks. The nurse held up a monkey and asked if he wanted it and he said "no", she held up a duck and he said "no"....on and on. I finally chose a pig for him and we went on our way.

It was a better than expected first visit. The pediatric dentist office was clean and kind, but I wasn't overly impressed. We may look for a new location for his next visit. I was super proud of my big boy though.

Our Adventure to Meet St. Nick

2011-12-06T14:15:00.000-05:00

Saturday night we attended our towns Christmas Walk. It was super cute, and it was a lot of fun. They had a tree lighting (which proved to be a little less than amazing), a parade which was tractor/Christmas themed (insert Caleb's heaven here), and the town businesses were all set up with different Christmas activities. The parade was super cute, and was just the right length to keep Caleb's attention. We were able to view the inside of an old Victorian home that was decorated for Christmas, and it was gorgeous!! We also saw a live nativity, train models and lots of Christmas lights.

In our new double stroller for the first time. We almost made it through Mckinlee's entire first year without one. It was a steal on zulily...89.00!

The last activity on the agenda that night was meeting Mr. Claus. We have been reading lots of Christmas books this year, Caleb knows who Santa is and he knows that he says "HO HO". I thought we had a slim chance that he would actually sit on his lap for a picture this year. While we were waiting in line I kept asking him if he wanted to sit with Santa and tell him what toys he wanted for Christmas. He would politely say "no". I kept encouraging and pointing out the other children sitting on his lap. Caleb still would say "no". I was hoping once we got up to Santa that both kids would at least sit with him for one picture.....I mean the odds were a little against me since Caleb was saying no, and since Mckinlee basically screams if anyone else besides me dares to try to hold her....

Well, we get to Santa, Nick's mom has the camera ready for a picture, and we attempt to sit them on his lap. Mckinlee surprisingly goes straight to him, however Caleb death grips me with his legs and arms and immediately starts crying....It was then that we decided to do a "Family" Santa shot.

Little miss however, surprised the heck out of us with her love for the man in red. She smiled at him, touched his beard and cheesed it up for the camera. There is no doubt that my usual stranger danger, cling to mama girl Believes. On a side note when we lifted her from Santa we realized she had peed through her outfit...kind of like her brother did with the Easter bunny a few years back. What can I say, my kids have a habit of peeing on our holiday characters. The festivities, long lines, and absent diaper changing stations may have something to do with that though.

All in all the night was a success, and even though I had no plans of taking pictures with Santa, this picture is a keeper.

Brittney's Baby Shower

2011-12-05T14:35:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I had the honor to co-host a baby shower for one of my very close friends. I have really formed an amazing friendship with Brittney over the past 2 years, and I am so thankful to have her in my life. I really wanted to bless her with a shower, and I loved finding all the great ideas via Pinterest to bring the shower to life. Girls from our Bible Study co-hosted with me, and we all divided the ideas we found for decorations and food in order to make them a reality. I was so pleased with how everything turned out.

The theme we went with was "Little Man", and we incorporated the colors orange, teal, and a chevron pattern into the decor. As stated most ideas were found via Pinterest.

This was the diaper station. We had the guests write funny messages on diapers for Brittney to laugh at during middle of the night changes.

The sign in table. The guests were asked to write their favorite Bible verse in the baby's book.

We included pictures of the baby and his big sister throughout the shower.

I love this saying. This was set up at the drink station.

The beautiful cake.

I love the way this wreath turned out.

To determine the menu we searched Brittney's food pins, and we all picked one item to make. We had more than enough food and it was all so good!

The food labels were a free printable that I found on Pinterest. I am really loving the world of free printables!

Some of our Bible study girls with the mama to be.

Brittney received lots of adorable stuff, and I must say that little man is going to be styling! I can not wait to meet and cuddle this sweet baby!