Happy Birthday, my Sweet Girl! I can't believe that you are 4! You are a joy to us, Little Girl. You make me laugh daily and keep me on my toes. Nothing gets past you anymore. You feel things strongly and have a flair for drama! One of your catch phrases these days is "oh,come on!" I hear it uttered quietly, moaned loudly and screamed very loudly many times a day, usually when you are frustrated by something. You want to do everything yourself, but still need your mommy's "chen-chen" (attention) and snuggles several times a day. You love to play outside and the 30 days in a row of 100+ degree weather this summer has frustrated you to no end. Your love of Dora the Explorer has taken a back seat to Disney princesses, Tinkerbell, Barbie and Strawberry Shortcake. You can play wonderfully with your big brother and the two of you come up with very elaborate imagination games. Of course, you can also hold your own in a fight with him as well! You love your baby brother even if you don't always love the attention he gets. I was thinking back to when you were just a baby and remembering that even then you made sure to get your share of my attention :-) When nursing, every once in awhile, if I was talking to someone or looking the other way I'd feel a little fist pop me in the face as if to say "Hey! This is my time! Focus on me!" You declared your independence at a young age- you wanted your own bed much earlier than your big brother, were walking steadily by your first birthday and you weaned yourself by 14 months. This year you did many independent things- made friends at school, took ballet classes, decided to stop sucking your thumb cold turkey and potty trained yourself in a day. All these things were done on your own schedule, of course. I have a feeling this is going to be quite a year! Thanks for loving us, Madison! Happy 4th Birthday!
Jackson's very late birthday post to come...
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Monday, July 18, 2011
You know you are a third child when...
You know you are the third child when...
You are sleeping in a pink sleepsack... and you are a boy.
Your mommy forgot to take you to your 4 month well-child check up.
At the tender age of 4 months, your mommy leaves you at home not just one, but 2 nights in a row so she can hang out at the posh Hotel Zaza for girls weekend.
We had the third annual Girls of North Russell Hall getaway weekend! This year the girls all came to Dallas because I couldn't really leave Huck for the whole weekend. I'd miss him too much, so I came home to sleep. The Hubby's friend Tyler hooked us up with some great deals at the Hotel Zaza, one of Dallas's trendiest boutique hotels. We had a fancy dinner on Friday, went to the spa and had a baby shower on Saturday and ate a yummy brunch on Sunday. It was so good to catch up with the girls! Even though we only get together once a year, it is so easy being together it feels like we do it all the time.
You are sleeping in a pink sleepsack... and you are a boy.
Your mommy forgot to take you to your 4 month well-child check up.
At the tender age of 4 months, your mommy leaves you at home not just one, but 2 nights in a row so she can hang out at the posh Hotel Zaza for girls weekend.
We had the third annual Girls of North Russell Hall getaway weekend! This year the girls all came to Dallas because I couldn't really leave Huck for the whole weekend. I'd miss him too much, so I came home to sleep. The Hubby's friend Tyler hooked us up with some great deals at the Hotel Zaza, one of Dallas's trendiest boutique hotels. We had a fancy dinner on Friday, went to the spa and had a baby shower on Saturday and ate a yummy brunch on Sunday. It was so good to catch up with the girls! Even though we only get together once a year, it is so easy being together it feels like we do it all the time.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Not So Outdoorsy...
We are clearly not a hunting/camping/fishing type family as evidenced by our trip to Bass Pro Shops yesterday. What started as a trip to go blueberry picking near Greenville was aborted when we sat in traffic on I-30 for almost 2 hours. Instead, we exited the Interstate and went to Bass Pro in Garland on Lake Ray Hubbard. This was a first for the kiddos- they kept referring to the lake as the ocean, the guns as shooters, and camouflage as the tree clothes. There was quite a bit to do there for the kids. We ate at the restaurant that has a huge salt water fish tank, did a craft activity, sat through a kids archery workshop (a power point presentation by Don from the archery department), played in the sand "beach" and walked by the lake. Maybe we'll have to go on the fishing vacation with the Grandparents next year...
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Fun on the Forth!
While the Hubby is away the family shall play! Maybe a little too much... The Hubby went to Mexico to celebrate America's independence. No, really, it was a trip from his boss to thank him and other employees for jobs well done. The floors in the bar are being refinished so the bar is closed for the week. Al took 10 of them to Playa Del Carmen, where he has another bar. I'm pretending that Mexico is still a happy, carefree place to vacation where bad things don't happen.
Meanwhile, we partied it up on the forth! We went to the Lake Highlands neighborhood parade. Meh, not great but the kids were thrilled with the candy. After the parade the Exchange Club host a carnival in the Rec Center parking lot with free games, a bounce house, a petting zoo, etc. The kids had fun but it was HOT. I know we live in Texas and it is July, but seriously, it was HOT. I was worried about Huck but he seemed happy sleeping in the sling. I did take a break to sit in the shade with him where we both got fire ant bites... I called the pediatrician to see if I could do anything about the bites for him and Mavis the nurse said "keep him off the ground!" But she said there is nothing to do but wait it out. When I finally called it quits on the carnival we came home and rested. Then we headed over to a friends house for fireworks. First the kids played in this awesome water slide while I chatted with the grown-ups. Fireworks were fun and they didn't seem to bother Huck. By the time we got into bed it was 10:30, yikes! And of course, Duch was up at 6:30 the next morning. She is NEVER up that early! Guess that explains the nap this afternoon.
The Hubby comes home tomorrow and things will be back to normal!
Meanwhile, we partied it up on the forth! We went to the Lake Highlands neighborhood parade. Meh, not great but the kids were thrilled with the candy. After the parade the Exchange Club host a carnival in the Rec Center parking lot with free games, a bounce house, a petting zoo, etc. The kids had fun but it was HOT. I know we live in Texas and it is July, but seriously, it was HOT. I was worried about Huck but he seemed happy sleeping in the sling. I did take a break to sit in the shade with him where we both got fire ant bites... I called the pediatrician to see if I could do anything about the bites for him and Mavis the nurse said "keep him off the ground!" But she said there is nothing to do but wait it out. When I finally called it quits on the carnival we came home and rested. Then we headed over to a friends house for fireworks. First the kids played in this awesome water slide while I chatted with the grown-ups. Fireworks were fun and they didn't seem to bother Huck. By the time we got into bed it was 10:30, yikes! And of course, Duch was up at 6:30 the next morning. She is NEVER up that early! Guess that explains the nap this afternoon.
The Hubby comes home tomorrow and things will be back to normal!
Sunday, July 3, 2011
New This Week...
New this week for The Duchess:
- She has officially made the switch from liking when she makes people laugh to not liking it when people laugh at her. She told me this morning at the breakfast table, with her eyes cast down and in a tiny little voice, Mommy, I don't like it when you laugh at me." Me: When did I laugh at you? Duch: Yesterday at lunch with Miss Erin. I don't even remember but obviously she did so we'll have to be more careful.
- Her drawings are looking more like what she says they are. She drew a robot that actually looked like a robot. And she can write a letter M.
- She is connecting what she watches on TV with her books. While watching Snow White, she had her story book of Snow White in her lap and turned the pages to match the picture with the movie.
- She cannot wait for her birthday! She has decided to have a Barbie party this year. We hear about her birthday plans every time she looks a the family calendar on the wall and sees pictures from last year's birthday.
New this week for Bubba:
- He lost another tooth! The tooth fairy came again last night. This one is right next to the other so he is missing the two middle bottom teeth. He was in the other room when he pulled it out. He came walking out to the family room and said "Uh,
Guys...look." And he smiled a bloody smile at us :-)
- He is swimming like a fish now. He is doing somersaults with help and is trying to do them alone. He swims underwater, jumps in by himself and is working on floating on his back without help. What a difference a few weeks make!
New this week for Huck:
- He rolled over from back to tummy for the first time on Sat July 2nd! And does it every time you put him down on his back. He's not crazy about being on his tummy but if you turn him over he rolls right back again.
- He has discovered his hands and feet and studies them quite intently. I've seen him hit himself in the face a few times when he was bringing them in for a closer look :-)
- He has been reaching for toys! It is not very coordinated yet, but he is getting better at it.
- He can sit in his Bumbo chair for short periods of time. His head control is getting better and better.
- He is definitely getting chunky! I have not weighed him since his 2 month visit, but you can see it on him. He has cute little chubby cheeks and big 'ol rolls on his thighs. The cloth diapers are getting a little small around the thighs. So good to see him filling out!
The whole family has been swimming a lot lately. We have been checking out various city pools in search of the best. So far the City of Richardson pools are the best. We went to a Dallas pool yesterday because it is close to us and and cheaper than the others. I was hopeful because it is at the rec center that is very nice and it has a very nice Sprayground/park. It was not as well maintained, there were not many chairs and I was very unimpressed by the lifeguards. I would not trust them to keep my kids safe at all. One sat in a lifeguard chair, one in the entrance booth and 5 sat in the shade talking to each other leaving 2 other lifeguard chairs empty. I think we'll stick with the Richardson pools where the lifeguards seem to be on top of things- I see them checking the pool water every hour, there are at least 2 lifeguards watching the pool at all times and they require a swim test for kids under 10 to go in the deep water, on the slide or off the diving board. Even though I am with them all the time they are in the water I just feel safer there.
I got my water sling and love it! Huck seems to like the water. As soon as I took him in the water yesterday I was surrounded by little Hispanic girls cooing over him and telling me about the babies at their house. He was not very impressed by the attention.
We had a family trip to the movies to see Cars 2. It was cute, but not as good as the first. About 20 minutes in Duchess turned to me and said she was ready to go home. I kept covering Huck's ears with a burp cloth- why do they have to have kids movies so loud???
On Friday we had a Child Life playdate. So much fun to have all of us "old" child lifers together again. We had 20 kids (and 1 on the way) between the 10 of us. We even managed to get some pictures of everyone- amazing!
- She has officially made the switch from liking when she makes people laugh to not liking it when people laugh at her. She told me this morning at the breakfast table, with her eyes cast down and in a tiny little voice, Mommy, I don't like it when you laugh at me." Me: When did I laugh at you? Duch: Yesterday at lunch with Miss Erin. I don't even remember but obviously she did so we'll have to be more careful.
- Her drawings are looking more like what she says they are. She drew a robot that actually looked like a robot. And she can write a letter M.
- She is connecting what she watches on TV with her books. While watching Snow White, she had her story book of Snow White in her lap and turned the pages to match the picture with the movie.
- She cannot wait for her birthday! She has decided to have a Barbie party this year. We hear about her birthday plans every time she looks a the family calendar on the wall and sees pictures from last year's birthday.
New this week for Bubba:
- He lost another tooth! The tooth fairy came again last night. This one is right next to the other so he is missing the two middle bottom teeth. He was in the other room when he pulled it out. He came walking out to the family room and said "Uh,
Guys...look." And he smiled a bloody smile at us :-)
- He is swimming like a fish now. He is doing somersaults with help and is trying to do them alone. He swims underwater, jumps in by himself and is working on floating on his back without help. What a difference a few weeks make!
New this week for Huck:
- He rolled over from back to tummy for the first time on Sat July 2nd! And does it every time you put him down on his back. He's not crazy about being on his tummy but if you turn him over he rolls right back again.
- He has discovered his hands and feet and studies them quite intently. I've seen him hit himself in the face a few times when he was bringing them in for a closer look :-)
- He has been reaching for toys! It is not very coordinated yet, but he is getting better at it.
- He can sit in his Bumbo chair for short periods of time. His head control is getting better and better.
- He is definitely getting chunky! I have not weighed him since his 2 month visit, but you can see it on him. He has cute little chubby cheeks and big 'ol rolls on his thighs. The cloth diapers are getting a little small around the thighs. So good to see him filling out!
The whole family has been swimming a lot lately. We have been checking out various city pools in search of the best. So far the City of Richardson pools are the best. We went to a Dallas pool yesterday because it is close to us and and cheaper than the others. I was hopeful because it is at the rec center that is very nice and it has a very nice Sprayground/park. It was not as well maintained, there were not many chairs and I was very unimpressed by the lifeguards. I would not trust them to keep my kids safe at all. One sat in a lifeguard chair, one in the entrance booth and 5 sat in the shade talking to each other leaving 2 other lifeguard chairs empty. I think we'll stick with the Richardson pools where the lifeguards seem to be on top of things- I see them checking the pool water every hour, there are at least 2 lifeguards watching the pool at all times and they require a swim test for kids under 10 to go in the deep water, on the slide or off the diving board. Even though I am with them all the time they are in the water I just feel safer there.
I got my water sling and love it! Huck seems to like the water. As soon as I took him in the water yesterday I was surrounded by little Hispanic girls cooing over him and telling me about the babies at their house. He was not very impressed by the attention.
We had a family trip to the movies to see Cars 2. It was cute, but not as good as the first. About 20 minutes in Duchess turned to me and said she was ready to go home. I kept covering Huck's ears with a burp cloth- why do they have to have kids movies so loud???
On Friday we had a Child Life playdate. So much fun to have all of us "old" child lifers together again. We had 20 kids (and 1 on the way) between the 10 of us. We even managed to get some pictures of everyone- amazing!
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