Sibling love

I took the day off yesterday to spend some time with the munchkins.  I thought it was the last day of swim lessons, only to find out when we got there that "tomorrow" is the last day.  Oh well, we still had fun.  Swim lessons, park, lunch, swimming and then home for relaxing and dinner prep.  I was getting dinner ready and I heard some noises coming out of Bray's room.  See what I found below...

11 Months

Seriously have we really had Haley for 11 months?  This does not seem right.  I'm not just saying this because all parents say, "Where does the time go?!" I'm saying this because it cannot be possible that Haley is 1 month away from 1 year.  I can say I have enjoyed our time with Haley, but I cannot say, I've enjoyed and documented our time with Haley, :(  I know this is common, but I was trying to be "better than that", FAIL!  Anyway, Haley is really something else.  This not a new revelation to us, but everyday she reminds me of how different and "female" she is compared to Braylen.  She gets mad and pulls my hair, she HATES her diaper changes and doing what I want her to do, she likes to smile at me when I tell her No and then just continues to do that, she wants to be around people all of the time, she is clingy.  These may be traits that Jeremy claims are similar to me, but I call BS!  Other than her slight rebellious ways, she is such a funny girl.  She is a cruiser when it comes to crawling, she will actually put her head down and motor if she's trying to get something or somewhere.  She is a bruiser with her brother.  Braylen will maul and crush her only to have her laughing the whole time while we are yelling, "Braylen be gentle!!"  She has started taking a few steps, but would still rather crawl or walk while holding on to things.  She LOVES being outside, even if she's in her baby cage and crawling under the kitchen table or anywhere she can get stuck (see pic below).  She does not mind the daily pony tails she has to endure due to her crazy hair.  Sometime she will wake up and I honestly do not recognize her, her hair is laying down and she looks so different.  This is incredibly uncommon, she usually wakes up looking as if she has placed all of her wet fingers into a three prong outlet for approx 5-10 minutes.  She has begun asking what things are by asking the now cute, ask in 6 months how we feel about this "cute" phrase, "ddatt".  She says, momma, dadda, nana and barks like a dog.  She claps, waves, blows kisses and gives kisses.  She mimics things, she will laugh if we laugh, raise her hands when we do and blink after we do.  I can honestly say she loves us so much and shows it daily.  We also share this feeling, but I think you can multiply my love by a million.  She is such a joy and keeps us all on our toes!  I can only imagine what I will be writing about next year and when she's older!!

A week of firsts

I think it's official, we have a BIG boy on our hands, his social calendar is filling up with camps and lessons!!  This week began with swim lessons and soccer camp.  I was a little nervous because he's never done group activities like these and on top of that, my co worker's wife, Hilary, was going to be taking Braylen to swim lessons due to the 9:40 am start time.  I went the first day with Hilary to swim lessons and he was ready to go.  They called his name, he stood with his group and instructor and away he went.  I could tell he was a little hesitant to jump in at first, but that lasted all of about 10 seconds.  On our way out he was already for the next day's lessons!  He hasn't been "learning" much other than getting comfortable in the water, but that's the first step!  Nana will just have to give him more in depth lessons at her private pool this summer :)

He went back to school and then I picked him up early for soccer camp at UD.  He was super pumped about this.  I had his water bottle and we picked up his mini kickers t-shirt, put it on and away he ran.  Literally, I turned around to put his shirt on my purse and he bolted to the first group he saw!  I can say my son is not embarrassed, nervous or reserved when it came to group activities.  I am happy to make this statement, I would rather this than scared and hesitant!  He followed directions and was playing pretty well, considering.  The funniest part was after camp, he ran up to me and told me he needed to tell coach something, I said that coach was busy and was cleaning up, but he was insistent.  I told Bray that he could tell him again on Thursday, he wanted to go now.  I finally asked what it was that he needed to tell coach and he said, "I am going to tell him that I am going to go home and practice hockey."  Hmmm, I really think that can wait.  Maybe we have him in the wrong camp??!!

 Needless to say when we got home he played hockey all night long!!

My little munchkins

This past Saturday was the "last" Saturday the kids and I will spend together while dad was working! 

Hallelujah tax season is almost over.  Most Saturdays are a little hectic and I get slightly frazzled by the sheer craziness and fussiness (sometimes) of the 2 of them!  But last Saturday was peaceful and bliss.  Haley is on some meds for an ear infection, which seems to be helping her mood immensely, Braylen was listening and good natured all day.  It was a PJ day most of the morning and early afternoon until Haley got a bath and Braylen was dying to jump in with her.  They had the time of their lives in that tub.  I couldn't help snapping pics and video because they were too cute.  I think i could have left them in there for hours.  Braylen really would have had raisins on his hands and feet, if that would have happened!

My First PONY

Not sure I thought I would ever be blogging about a child's hair, but because it's my daughter (and the fact that she's fricken adorable) I can't help but second guess that thought!!  Here is Haley's first pony!  Hope this makes you smile as much me!!!

Play time and work time

I try to make Friday nights play nights.  I have the kids and I don't worry about putting lots of time for dinner and I try to limit the distractions (TV, cleaning, picking up, etc...).  We usually head downstairs and play!  It's fun to watch them play together and just observe their imaginations as well as play along with them.  They are both too funny and Braylen has always had an active immagination, but it's interesting to watch Haley try to figure out exactly what Braylen is doing with his random toys.

Who needs toys??

Especially when you have a HILARIOUS brother??!!  This Braylen's new favorite game, every morning and even he asks, "Momma, can i take the cushions off?"  We have also used this as punishment, AKA his cushion privileges get revoked for a day when he doesn't listen.  Who would have thought I would use couch cushions as a behavior tool??!!

Sprinting, but not getting anywhere

Do you ever feel like you are moving as fast as humanly possible in every aspect of your life, but you're physically not getting anywhere?  I am starting to feel that way and I feel as if it may crush me, at times.  I text Jeremy yesterday asking if we could hire someone to be us for a week and we could run off with the kids for a week of quality time.  He denied my request :(  Tax time is always busy and I feel as if this is a common feeling for me this time every year.  We get home from work, usually around 6:30 or 7 pm, feed the kids, give them baths and put them to bed with small conversations about the day and lots of hugs and kisses mixed in.  Fortunately I have an amazing, but currently extremely busy, husband and 2 hilarious, adorable and good kiddos!  We also have jobs and a house and many, many other blessings that I should be grateful for daily, but sometimes the day to day chaos makes me forget that.  Well, only about a month of tax season left and by that time the weather will start changing and brightening up!  Here is what is keeping me sane, as well as making me crazy sometimes, in the mornings and evenings we spend together!!

OK, so it's time I get going on this...

I'm going to update info from most recent to before holidays, so bare with me!!!  I plan to post date info, so look back to get up to date on our BUSY lives!!!
XOXO

Movin and grovin

Haley is officially a mover!  She's been crawling since 7 months, but she is so ready to start running, if freaking me out a bit!!  She loves to pull herself up on anything she can and "stand" around looking from a different vantage point.  SHe also enjoys "getting into more stuff" around the house we did not have to worry about with Braylen as much.  I just decided to plug EVERY outlet as she is so mobile and curious, that was something we were lax on, probably not something we should have been..., with Braylen.  The gate is ALWAYS up and Braylen's small toys most of the time put away.  Our house does need to be baby proofed, it's needs to be Haley proofed!  The pics on the fireplace, must go, the breakable vase on the floor, put away, cabinets locked, outlets plugged, cords vanish, I think you get the idea...  The other day I found her sitting under a kitchen chair, stuck.  If she wasn't a little mad I would have taken a pic.  Is there baby proofing for chairs and tables??  I don't think so.

Mystery

Someone got a hold of my phone last weekend and I didn't know about it until I found some mystery photos.  Who do think the culprit is??  BTW there are MANY more on my phone and I'm not sure I'm ready to delete them yet, they make me smile!!

Houston we have teeth

We have 2 little teeth that have presented themselves this weekend!  2 little baby teeth for Haley may explain the slight fussiness she has had a night time.  Soon we'll be moving onto the big kid food, whew that seems way too soon!!

My valentines

I got my little Valentines ready this morning and they couldn't be any sweeter, or more red!!!  Jeremy surprised me with a nice card and massage, not a bad way to start the morning!!!  Lots of love in my house, hope you find LOVE every day of the year in yours.

Bathtime

I put both kids in the bath together this afternoon.  Haley loved it and watched Braylen play, play, play.  They weren't in there the whole time together, Braylen takes a MUCH longer bath, but the time they spent was fun! 

Post Christmas

I had some time off to spend with my little Christmas elves around the holidays and we spent some good time together cuddling in the warm house with the cold weather staying outside!!  There was lots of Christmas toys to play with and presents to pick up and put away, so we stayed plenty busy.

First time in bumbo with puffs, I LOVE THIS FACE!!

Laughing Haley

I've seen the thousands of you tube videos when a mom or dad sneezes, coughs or blows their nose and the baby laughs, well folks it works!!  I got a full out laugh from Haley with my "sneezing session" on Thursday after work.  I thought school had taken all of her smiles away that night, until I changed her diaper and got her laughing and smiling.  I have a full fledged grin on my face when I watch this...hope it has the same effect for you!!

Happy Birthday Jeremy

Jeremy is 33!!  Unfortunately the day was darker due to my first day back to work, but everything worked out great!  It was a tough morning getting back to work and dropping the kids off, but I soon adjusted and "it felt like I never left", which I'm not sure is a good thing or bad?!  I decided not to work any nights my first week back to ease into the transition, so it was just a day schedule for the first day.  When we got home everyone seemed to do well and Haley and I got some good, and missed, mom and baby time that night.  We had dinner ready for Jeremy's birthday, opened presents and ate the infamous, and much anticipated, cookie cake, which was delicious!

My last day :(

My final day of maternity leave brings a tear to my eye!  I am not sure why, but I am feeling more emotional this time around than last.  We had bath time and lots of QT on my last day with the rascals :(  Braylen likes to help me with most everything Haley and bath time was not any different. Braylen insisted on helping me rinse Haley off, I just had to make sure he kept the water away from her face and he was a great helper!  He also loves helping me cook and bake.  That morning before we did much else we decided to make a couple of cookie cakes, 1 for Jeremy's birthday and 1 as a thank you for my coworkers.  I had to swear him to secrecy because I was planning to surprise Jeremy with the cake the next day for his birthday.  I put it in a "safe and secret" spot after it was cooled and decorated and then we went on with our morning.  After lunch he told me he was tired, so I turned on Mickey and he was going to lay down after the show was over.  In the meantime Jeremy came home for lunch...the second Braylen saw Jeremy, even in his Mickey haze, Braylen jumped up and said, "Dadda, we made you a cookie for your birthday!!"  Jeremy gave me a look and I said, "No Bray that was for my coworkers, remember?!"  He then continued to insist and I couldn't help do anything but laugh and Jeremy was saying, "Braylen, I'm not sure you're supposed to tell me about the cake.  I think it's a surprise."  Braylen then proceeded to go to the "safe and secret" spot and pull out the cake so Jeremy could see it.  SO much for a surprise!  It was great comic relief for an emotional day and I think the main reason Braylen wanted to tell dad about the cake was so he could eat it!!  Funny kids that I will miss so much when I go back to work, but as I remember with Braylen, I appreciate the moments all the more when I'm not home all day every day with them.  It's just hard to remember that right now!!

2 months old

So much time has passed, but it really feels like I blinked and it's 2 months since our little Haley has been with us.  She has been a perfect addition to this family and she seems to love her place in the family.  Braylen is her favorite person and she is always watching him and enjoying him getting in her face, even though we are constantly telling him to back up.  She still loves smiling and I think she's going to miss me when I go back to work this month, or at least that what I keep telling myself. 

Our second trip to Jacksonville

THe kids and I made our second trip to Jacksonville, but this was our first by ourselves.  May I just say, "WHEW!"  It was a bit of a long trip there and back!  I don't think it took much longer, but it did feel that way when Haley is screaming in the back seat and Braylen is telling me to feed her, over and over again!  Braylen is now an amazing traveler and we never really had much trouble with him when he was a baby, he pretty much slept the whole way!  NOT HALEY!  She gets pretty pissed and will only sleep for short bursts at a time.  But...it was definitely worth the trip.  We got to see everyone and spend time with Super Nana and Papa at the camp grounds.  At one point of time I turned around and saw Braylen actually driving the golf cart, he didn't get far, but that was the last time that happened.  He loved being there and running around and it was nice to visit and sit outside to relax!