October 31, 2017

Halloween | 2017

Happy Halloween!! 


This is the first year in a long time that trick-or-treat did not fall on Cael's birthday.  He was a bit sad - but still excited.  Then the weather took a turn and it poured rain and got suuuuuuuper cold. We wrapped up our little pumpkin babies to walk down our street and then hit a few of our friends houses on the other side of town.  Nothing major this year, but we had so much fun!

Cael got to create a different get-up for his school Halloween party.  That morning, he woke up and we both realized we had forgotten to get anything ready (it's the craziest time of year for my work schedule).  He said "no worries mom, I have like a thousand costumes in my toyroom dress-up bin. I'll just throw something together"  I came into his room after nursing Larkin to find this....

How perfect is my child?!



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October 30, 2017

Cael | 5 years






  
Wow! I cannot believe 5 years have passed by so quickly.  You're officially a big kid.  This year was filled with fun!  You had a lot of firsts, and learned new tricks.  You're learning so much and we are so impressed with how smart you are!  You are one of the most creative, inteligent and sweetest kid I've ever met.  I am so blessed you are mine.  Love you, Cael-bo.

Height: 47.6 inches (99th percentile)
Weight:  52.2 pounds (94th percentile)

Size:  Pants/shirts are mostly size 6 at this point, but we're still squeaking out a few size 5. Pajamas have been size 7 for awhile now.  Shoe size is 11.5, and you wear the same exact size hat as your daddy, a 7 1/4 fitted cap.  You are our BIG BOY!

Sleeping:  Your teachers always laugh because when it is "rest time" at school, you are one of the only ones that won't fall asleep after all of the morning activity.  You gave up naps over a year ago though, so I'm not surprised. Thankfully, you go down for bed without a fight, and wake up easily (for the most part).  There are times that you come down after we've put you to bed to just "ask one more question" or get a snack.  You go to bed at 7:30, and you usually wake yourself up for school by 6:50 or 7 in the morning.
Eating:  Your favorite foods are still the most expensive in the store.  Will that ever change? Probably not - you're a growing boy.  You still frown at the idea of a simple meal like grilled cheese, or chicken nuggets.  Instead, you will devour calamari, or breakfast for dinner.  Your favorite snacks are goldfish crackers, yogurt and 
  Playing: You are still obsessed with dinosaurs, legos and crafts.  Your creativity amazes me every day!  You went through a guitar "rock star" phase this year (see pictures below) which was super fun. Any little figure you have at hand, you play with and use your imagination to create a story line for them. Your birthday party for 5 was a dinosaur dig and this was the first year you invited friends to join, instead of just family.  It was a blast!
Milestones: You know all of your numbers, letters, shapes, colors, etc. They say that you are kindergarten ready but your birthday just won't allow it....so you do get a little bored at school.  Your ride your big wheel like a champ! This year you went fishing for the first time, when we were in NC for Dolinski family vacation, with your Papa.  We also learned this year that you are allergic to mosquitos.  Kind of rare, and crazy...but it landed us in the ER 3 times.  You are the best big brother we could have ever imagined for Larkin.  You are a kind, sweet boy!

See more pictures below from the year to become FIVE!

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October 16, 2017

Larkin | 1 year



Baby girl...how did the last year fly by?  It flew on wings of laughter and a heart so full.  With eyes so blue that you have won over every heart you encounter.  The year flew by with adventures with your big brother who is your absolute favorite person on this planet.  It was filled with curiosity and tenacity.  A few temper tantrums, not many, thankfully.  Wow - there it went.  I remember the day you were born like it was this morning.  It was a perfect Sunday and you are the PERFECT addition to our family.  Larkin Olivia, your name has many meanings and that was very important to us when choosing what people would call you.  You are our miracle babe.  Larkin can mean "silent," "fierce," or a "brave warrior."  You are silent when you watch and study your surroundings to learn everything there is to know.  Or when you watch someone to mimic them later.  The other day you watch Cael and I play piano.  You sat there and just watched, so still.  The next day you were standing on your very tippy toes to play a tune and smiled so big with pride that you could make noise with your fingers too.  Of course you are "fierce."  You have fierce eyes that make me give in at every turn.  You shake and point when you know exactly what you want, and push something away (not rude, just with force) when you are sure you don't.  We love you so much, princess. Happy Birthday, Lolo.

Though she be but little, she is fierce.
- William Shakespeare 

Height: 28.7 inches (30th percentile)
Weight: You little peanut are only 18.7 pounds (20th percentile)

Size: Mostly wearing 9 month clothing but getting into 12 months stuff too, and definitely pajamas (why do those always run that way?).  Your feet are what is the most surprising - still wearing size 1-2 shoes for a 3-6 month old!  I have so many pairs of cute sandals and booties that are just collecting dust in the closet because you probably won't fit until there is snow on the ground.

Sleeping: You love sleep.  I am so grateful for that!  Your naps are pretty consistent at 2 per day (10-1, like clock work; and then again 3 or 4 for about an hour).  You go to bed at the same time as your brother, or a little earlier, around 7:30.  I've been video recording the process of waking you up in the morning so your daddy and relatives can watch.  It is so funny!  You literally throw the covers over yourself like a teenager telling me "no way mom - not happening"
Eating:  Thank you for finally embracing food!  It took awhile, but now you are such a good eater.  You eat every meal that we eat - even the spicey stuff.  In fact, you love things with lots of flavor!  Just like your brother, you're not really into the stereotypical "kid food" and scoff when we try to give you just mac n' cheese or something like that.
  Playing: Basically, whatever Cael is doing, you're doing.  Forget the boxes of baby toys you have at your disposal...you just want to be in the action of the trucks, dinosaurs and legos -- or wrestling with daddy and bub.  You're showing more interest in walking with pulling yourself up and scooting around the furniture, so I don't think it will be long.  Your favorite toy is a toy phone we got you for your birthday that sings songs and lights up.  Naturally though, since your favorite thing to do is to say "hi" to everyone you see. 
Milestones: Crawling like a champ around every inch of the house.  You are cruising all over the furniture and getting brave.  You have 4 teeth and use them so well to chomp on all of our "adult" meals.  You're saying more words and jabbering sentences together like we know exactly what story you are telling.  Thankfully, you are getting a little less stingy with your giggles.

See more pictures below in the year to become ONE!

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July 20, 2017

July 4 | Friends, Fireworks & Fun


The 4th of July is such a fun holiday to celebrate our freedom with friends and family.  I am a huge fan of summer get-togethers, and when you add fireworks into the mix...it's a party!  This year, we had a lot going on with the house and some unforeseen disasters (more on that later...this is a happy post!) so it was nice to relax with two of our favorite families with good food and cheap entertainment (our kiddos).  Daniel and I had come to a stopping point on the back porch/yard progress while we waited for the concrete contractor to add drains, railing, etc.  I was even able to add some plants/flowers to pretty it up a bit before the party.

My husbands twin has two adorable girls.  When we all get together, the kids play like siblings (see picture above...this was one of about 10 like this).  It makes our job as parents so much easier!!  Our other friends that came have a son that was born a week prior to Larkin.  Yes, we are planning their life together -- it's fine.

See more picture below from our fun day celebrating!


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July 18, 2017

Larkin | 9 Months


How in the world are we this close to your first birthday?  I need time to slow down so I can savor every second with you.  Larkin Olivia, my sweet little LoLo....you are an angel.  I swear that you have only cried a handful of times since you were born.  Some of our friends have never even heard your cry!!  You are on your own agenda and time table to do things...so we try to let things happen naturally and not push it...which is working.  Just as when you were little, we let you determine your schedule, and thank goodness we did, because it works out so nicely.  Maybe this is the difference of the "second child" in us...or maybe you're just that AWESOME!  This month was filled with a lot of fun adventures and watching you grow more into your personality.  Your favorite person in the whole world is Cael, but Momma and the cat come in a close second tie.  Your smile is contagious.  You go with the flow.  Everyone that is lucky enough to meet you, adores you. 

Height: 23 inches; 8th percentile. You get those genes honest from your DD.

Weight: 16 pounds, 10 ounces; 22nd percentile.  You sweet little thing!

Size: Such a little peanut!  You are still rocking size 2 diapers, though we did bust out the 3s toward the end of the month to see how much they sagged on your bum. Most of your clothes are 9 months now (especially jammies), but you can wear 6 month pants.  This month you were baptized in the gown that all of the women in momma's family wore...at 2 days old.  And it fit you perfectly.  You are little, but very strong.

Sleeping: Happy to report you still LOVE your sleep!  Naps have stayed pretty much the same (9am - 12pm, then 2pm-4:30pm).  You did drop the evening nap you used to give us while we were cooking dinner and having one-on-one time with Cael; and instead you just extended the afternoon nap a bit.  Of course, you don't nap the same on the days you are at daycare all day, so that messes with the nighttime a little bit too.  At night, you like your bedtime around 8/8:30 and then sleep until I need to nurse you before work around 7:30. I am worried for when school starts and I have to wake you at 6:40...because you do not like to be awoken before you're ready.
Eating:  FINALLY!  You finally like food!  Of course, in true Larkin style...you don't really care for "baby" food mashes.  Instead, you want the real thing.  Pieces of carrot, cheerios, and teething biscuits are your jam.  You haven't turned your nose to anything yet, thank goodness. You want to feed yourself.  Your pincher and raking motions, with fine-motor skills are really good!  You learned to drink from a straw really early too, which is nice when we are out so I can give you a quick drink of water, which you love. You do really well with your sippy cup with water, but not milk or juice (which we had to try to alleviate some constipation...but you weren't having it).
  Playing:   You could make a whole day of entertainment out of watching your big brother play. I think you are taking mental notes of all of the trouble fun he is getting into. You love sitting on a blanket outside to empty a bin of toys.  You aren't mobile yet (surprisingly) so it is nice that I can put you somewhere to play and get things done nearby while watching you explore the world around you, safely. You like anything you can get into your mouth to chew your teething gums on.  You love all of Cael's big boy toys....so we have had many lessons on keeping legos out of your reach!  You squeal with delight when you watch Cael play t-ball! You also clap with your feet, and sometimes your hands. It's the sweetest thing! Video of that here. 
Milestones:  You cut your first tooth at the beginning of the month.  Still just one.  If you want something badly enough, you will scoot your bum to get to it.  Otherwise, you're not mobile.  You are loving the bouncer/exersaucer (video), but not so much the johnny jumper (which you think is just a big swing).  You enjoy stroller rides with big bro, especially now that you face forward in the front to see where we are going.  You sit in the big part of the grocery cart and get fawned over by all of the old ladies int he store. You eat food...anything you can get your hands on!  And you had your last nap in the swing before we put it away this month. You never did like it to make a swinging motion, but it snuggled you like a baby and made for a good living room nap. You say momma, dad, bub, milk and up - your little voice is so cute! And you started "flirting" with EVERYONE this month with a funny stare and then grin because you just know you're so cute (video).

See more pictures below, using the link:

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July 5, 2017

Projects or Maintenance - not both

My husband is a teacher and wrestling coach...which means two things: 6 months out of the year he is TOTALLY out of commission, and for exactly 3 months I have my very own Chip Gaines (and daddy daycare!).  Bring on the summer honey-do project list!  We LOVE our house and have tackled so many projects since moving in.  But, we have found that we are either in project mode, or maintenance mode. We can't do both.


When we start to tackle a project in the house, it takes all of our extra time and energy once the kids are fed and happy (or sleeping, in most cases).  Then the house becomes mass chaos of a mess.  Literally, there is no maintaining any sort of order when we are in project mode.  Does anyone else have the problem?  Or a solution, perhaps?  In the throws of our latest project of tearing off the back porch, there wasn't a clean dish or pair of underwear to be found.  We finally got to a stopping point while we wait on the concrete repairs and we took a look at our house through the cobwebs.  Gross!  It took every bit of the 4-day weekend for the holiday to get things cleaned up and put away....including things from vacation....last month. 

Did I mention that messes stress me out?  Like, if our house makes the day-to-day harder, my anxiety goes through the roof and I want to immediately organize all.the.things.  But then there's this construction zone that needs my attention instead so we can call the project DONE-ZO.  
It's a vicious cycle!  And everything starts to resemble"If You Give A Mouse A Cookie."

So for all of you DIY-ers in the world...can I get an amen?  Or some helpful hints would be nice too.




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June 18, 2017

Daddy's Day 2017


How did we get so lucky?

Cael and Larkin have hands-down, the best daddy they could ever wish for! Daniel is a big kid himself who loves to play.  There is almost always an impromptu wrestling match in the living room between D and our little ninja.  And he treats Larkin like a princess!

We're so excited to spoil him with love this Father's day, and every day. He is the most hard-working  and dedicated man in the world.  Our kids have an excellent role model. I fell in love with him 12 years ago, but even more so on the day each of our kids was born.  Watching him become the greatest daddy to our little crew has been amazing.  We love you!

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June 17, 2017

Larkin | 8 Months


You are the most perfect child, Larkin Olivia (LoLo when you're being feisty or cute).  It shouldn't come as a surprise anymore that you light up any room you are in and make everyone around you smile until their cheeks hurt.  I love that you grin at everyone, but still bury your head in my chest if you aren't sure about someone that is approaching.  You are so vastly different than your brother in hitting milestones and growth chart elements, so I'm figuring it all out again with you.  I cry every time I think about how fast you are growing and approaching the bittersweet "one year" mark.  Now that daddy and big bro are out of school for the summer, you are soaking up so much more family time at home.  We've also gone on a lot of adventures this month!  From trips to Cincinnati to see the Gilbert grandparents and Uncle J, to vacation in the NC Mountains with the Dolinski clan...you are a champ at traveling!  Like, seriously, the best traveler ever (thank you!)! Your personality is so fun and your giggle melts my heart every time.   We love you so much sweet girl!

Height:  Not sure exactly since we don't go back until you are 9 months. I know you have grown a little bit, but not too much since you are still a little peanut!

Weight:  Same as height...not sure yet. My guess is about 17 pounds. Maybe.

Size:  Still rocking the size 2 diapers, somehow. We are all over the board with clothing...you can still wear size 6 month, but we've been using some of the 9 month rompers with this heat.  You have the teeniest feet ever, and can finally fit into size 0-3 month shoes. Same goes for your hat, which we had to go get a size newborn for the pool. 

Sleeping:  Girlfriend...you love your sleep!! Always have, and I pray that continues! You've been really consistent since about 3 months old with taking the longest nap in the morning (9 - noon); then nap again 3-4:30 and sometimes 6:30-7.  At night, you are typically really easy to put to sleep with a routine of bath, and relaxing with big bro on his bed with a story and some giggles before nursing to sleepy-town.  You usually sleep from 8:30 - 8 straight through, with maybe a fuss for your binky that fell through the cracks, around 6 a.m.  Keep it up little lady!

Eating:  You are not interested whatsoever in baby food.  We've learned this month that you do like to try our table food though!  We just keep trying every kind of food imaginable to see if you will start to eat solids, instead of just milk.  We had to start supplementing with formula this month (I'm sure mostly because my body probably thinks you are eating solids!!)  Here is a typical day: Wake-up: nurse; Lunch: nurse or milk-bottle (appx 6-7 oz) and a fruit or veggie; Snack: formula bottle (6 oz) and yogurt bites, or a teething bisquit; Dinner: nurse (not a lot, and not always) and a veggie or whatever we are having for supper; Bedtime: nurse and a 4 oz formula bottle

  Playing:   You love to dig out all of the things out of your toy bin. I try to keep things interesting with a rotation, or your brother will sneak his toys into it too. Your favorite thing is to watch Cael play.  You squeal with excitement when he notices you watching him and plays along with you.  You love to be outside and sit in the grass.  You aren't crawling yet, but if we put a toy far enough away you love to reeeeeeaaaach hard for it and wiggle your way by scooting. You play really well independently!  Which is so nice since you aren't mobile yet, I can sit you on a quilt with a few toys and get a quick shower or do the dishes while you play.

Milestones:  You are talking up a storm this month!  Your favorite words are "mama" "buba" (for Cael) "dada" and "ball."  I love being able to hold full conversations with my little chatter box.  Feeding yourself using raking fingers and pinching fingers.  Discovering new toys that have been mixed in with the old toys.  You love to sign "milk." 

See more pictures below, using the link:

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June 16, 2017

Stylish Kiddos | 4th of July

Baby Girl  |  Little Man

We love dressing our kiddos in stylish (and affordable) clothes for special occasions.  
We love it even more when these clothes can serve more than a one-time purpose.  Bring on family vacation game night AND fourth of July!  A friend of ours (thanks, Trisha!) bought Larkin this adorable tank/tutu combo from the Cat & Jack line at Target...how cute is that!?  I knew as soon as I saw it that we could be "Team America" for game night on vacation, and was able to grab this tank from Carters for Cael (for under $10, using promo code: SUNNYDAY). 

I can't wait to watch their eyes light up when the fireworks BOOM and we celebrate our freedom!

**This post is not sponsored by Target or Carters....I just love their products.


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May 25, 2017

First Year of Pre-K



This kid had a really good school year! How in the world is he already done with his first year in "big-kid" school?  I'm amazed by his knowledge and curiosity every single day. He started as the (huge) 3-year old in class, and the teachers would often forget that he was the baby in the room. I credit a lot of his resiliency of a 9-hour school day to the fun programming he had in preschool with our daycare, and the amazing teachers he had this year. He has learned so much and made great friends. He's already excited to go back to school next year and promises more "green lights."

We had a fun reflection on the eve of his last day of pre-k.  He answered the questions below and we giggled about stories he told me involving he and the friends he made.  Because of his birthday, he will be going back for one more year of pre-k next year and will end up being one of the oldest in his grade throughout school....but I'm perfectly okay with that for his growth and development.


2016 - 2017

Grade:  Pre-K, a.m. & p.m. session with aftercare with the YMCA
Age:  3 to start, then 4 on October 30
Height:  3' 8"
Weight:  52 pounds
Shoe Size:  11
When I grow up:  Police officer, "army dude", construction worker or doctor to toys
Favorite Color:  Blue, like Leonardo the ninja turtle
Favorite Food:  Smoothies, yogurt and popcorn
Favorite Toy:  Dinosaurs, costumes, coloring, transformers and the leap pad
Favorite TV Show:  PJ Masks, Wild Kratz Adventures and Disney Movies
Favorite Book: Pete the Cat series, "A Rumble In The Jungle," "No Jumping On The Bed"
Memories from this year:  Field trips to a pumpkin farm (with me, 39 weeks preggo on a hayride in the middle of nowhere!), and to the potato chip factory; meeting new friends and a new routine.
Funniest moment:  The week we delivered baby sis, there was no way we could fit in time to complete his homework. I had warned his teacher, but Cael kept taking it in everyday and told her that he had done it, handing her a blank paper.  She said "it's ok, you don't have to do it this week" and he rebutted with "Mrs. B! I did it in white crayon, see?!"
Friends: Liam (all 3 of them), Delaney, Emaline, Christopher

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March 19, 2017

Getting Back Into Blogging

Do you ever get so overwhelmed with "the list" that you don't know where to start?  Like, no matter if you just dive in to tackle one of the tasks, it won't be enough because there are just too many lingering.  That's where I am at with this blog.  Scratch that...that's where I am with life at the moment.  I struggle every day with trying to savor every moment with the kids, keep our house semi-presentable, and watching my to-do list {that I've created on the ceiling when I can't sleep at night} grow by the second.  I've tried to make a plan of attack...but I can't get something done start-to-finish without a thousand interruptions, or the feeling that I something else on the list is priority.  Each thing is going to take time.  But, for the blog I've got to start them all at once! So here goes.

But first...a look at my "excuses" to ignore the to-do's



The plan...

Update the blog design/template
Post updates for baby Larkin (for goodness sakes...she is 5 months old)
Post updates on Cael
Add tabs for Food/Recipes, Home Decor, DIY, etc

The timeline...

I'm self-imposing a June 1 deadline, for many reasons.  My professional life is a bit slower in the summer months and I like to take advantage of that time with my family to make the best memories. And, I know myself...if I don't put it on my calendar, it will get pushed back until the next time I beat myself up over it.

Who's with me?
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