Easter Weekend--a few firsts!

We spent Easter Weekend in Asheville, in preparation for our trip, as well as to be with grandparents!  E and I got mommy/daughter pedicures on Saturday morning, which was a first (but definitely not last) for us.  We had a blast at an organic spa in Asheville--E asked a thousand questions (imagine that) and the manicurist was so patient to answer them all.  She also humored E and painted her fingernails green and toenails purple (the purple matched mine).  It was great fun!

The husband and I also got to have a nice lunch date (a first since our anniversary almost a year ago), and it was great to sit and talk quietly and people-watch together.  We did end up at a toy store though, even without kids!  After lunch, we dyed easter eggs with E, which was another first, and quite an experience! 

We took the kids to Daddy's old high school (which is gorgeous, and has a beautiful outdoor campus) to visit while the "easter bunny" hid E's treasure hunt and finished up her map.  After some outside playtime there, we headed to my parents' house so E could read her treasure map to find her Easter goodies (a homeschool lesson in everything, geez), and she did a great job hunting for her and Lu's loot!  More pictures of this to come!

Having a Great Time, Wish you were here!

We are really enjoying our 4th (3rd?) annual trip to Florida with my mom this year!  Its been a challenge with two kids, instead of one demanding child traveler, but I think we are conquering the challenge with the grace that only mothers and Grammys have!  We've visited with family, played at a really cool boat park, gone to the library (E loves her books, and asked to go to the library specifically while we were here), enjoyed the sun and sand of Honeymoon Island Beach, and played in a few different pools.  E has made friends with everyone at the hotel.  We explored a really cool, little local health food store for some treats (yes, dairy-free for momma) and some yummy food.  Lu's been happy and smiley, crawling around, pulling up (geez, all the way to standing) and exploring new environments (everything looks new on his level), and all-around cheerful as long as we aren't in the car for too long--he's also enjoyed the majority of his naps in the "ride" which should be interesting when we get home and get used to routine again.  Traveling dairy-free has been interesting--I can't assume anything (learned that really early on in this dairy-free venture) and its hard for me to trust other people--I'd much rather read the ingredient list myself, rather than just ask someone.  But we packed a lot of food, snacks, and homemade goodness to be sure that I have plenty to eat (and I definitely have!). 

Phone pictures (sorry for the lacking quality)

Hanging at the beach

Our cousin

sliding at the park

the kid chose to have chocoate cake instead of ice cream!

reading books at the library with Grammy

fun with flippers!

I forgot to mention, somehow, on our second day, both kids ended up with fevers and colds.  We've still managed well, and they are feeling better--we found a health food store ASAP, and grabbed some homeopathic remedies to help E feel better, and Lu always mends quickly (poor thing has had way too many opportunities to show us that), staying hydrated by nursing!

L at 6 months (and some change)

We had L's six month visit at our pediatrician's office last week.  Really, just something for momma since we don't vaccinate--I like to know how my kids are growing, and boy, is this one growing!  L weighs 19 lb, 14 oz at 6 months and 2.5 weeks.  For reference, at least in our experience, E was 18 lbs at 2.5 years old.  She is now 29 lbs at 4.5--I knew she was small, but he is definitely on the opposite end of the spectrum!  He grew 1.5 inches and 2.5 lbs since our last well check in February!  Yay for momma milk because that is all he is getting still, besides the occasional sippy with water in it, which is just hilarious, in his opinion!  He has been on hands and knees for a few weeks now, and just last Thursday, took his first few crawls!  He is practicing this skill all the time, although he doesn't take more than a couple crawls at a time so far!  Of course he army crawls all over the house, and recently discovered that he can follow E around to his delight (and her occasional annoyance) wherever she goes.  His first tooth poked through March 31st-the bottom right one, and #2 is working now--should be poking through any day!  I can't believe he's already more than 6 months old!

Here comes Spring

and other happenings here at our house!  We've been enjoying the gorgeous weather lately by playing outside and at the park a lot!  E loves playing soccer with us, and she is learning how to ride her bike without training wheels.  L just takes it all in, in his favorite spot--in the ride. 

 

 

E has also been having a good time with a "tent" that mommy created in our extra bedroom.  It spans the entire length of the room, and E has parties in it, goes camping, and talks to Grammy under the cover of her tent.  Currently she has a self-written sign that reads (loosely) "No Babies Allowed" taped on her tent.  Apparently she really needs some personal space from her crawly brother these days, so I am trying to honor this request by keeping him away from "her" tent!  

 

E has also become a budding photographer, begging me to use the camera every time I get it out.  Little does she know, in her Easter basket this year will be a real digital camera for her!  I know she will be so excited!

And a treat: a rare photograph of both kids smiling!!

We sure do have some gorgeous children!

The Good Stuff

I love that my daughter enjoys the classic kids' books like the Original Curious George, Amelia Bedelia, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, and The Little Engine that Could.

Even though I might complain about feet in my back and wiggling babies, I love being sandwiched between my two kids in the bed at night.

I love sitting on the couch, nursing my son, while my husband reads a book to my daughter.

I love Sunday morning homemade breakfast with my family.  Local eggs potatoes, and bacon make it all the better!

I love that my husband cooks dinner, brings me roses when he knows its been a hard week, and argues with me about who gets to wear the baby.

I am the luckiest. 

In a co-sleeping family!

We are definitely a co-sleeping family. E has been in our "big bed" since birth. The crib (yes, we had one) just never felt right for us. So naturally L started in our bed too. With E. It's a little crowded but I really do enjoy cuddling all night long. It's especially nice for me to be able to cuddle and reconnect with E, who is a busy, wiggly, always moving four year old. I'm glad we get to cuddle at night, for sure.
So this is our bed on a typical night.  I squeeze in between the two kids, and K is on the other side of E.

 And here is a picture of E's bedtime story session with Grammy the other night!  Too cute not to share!

Just another week gone by!

Last weekend we had a visit from Uncle Sam and Aunt Chelle!  E was thrilled to have "personal playmates" that have more attention for her than Mommy does with little brother around now.  She played with some playdoh with them, and spent a good amount of the gorgeous day outside with them as well!  They swang (swung?) in the hammock and played in Aunt Chelle's car--E "drove" them to Five Guys.  When L was happy and not napping and/or nursing, he hung out with them too, and Mommy did boring things like laundry and cleaning the kitchen (and boy was I grateful to be doing those things without a 20 lb baby on my hip!). 

I also sunned diapers to get some of the stains out.  I feel like they get cleaner in the sun too, with those super UV rays killing any lingering germs!  I hope to get more sunning time in as the weather is more cooperative!  I was kinda shocked at the number of diapers I have (which still doesn't seem like quite enough).  

Later in the week, E and L played with Daddy in the extra bedroom while Mommy showered and swept the kitchen after dinner one day!  L is really starting to move around, army-crawl style, and Daddy and E were very amused with this!  They put things on the opposite side of the room, and waited for L to move to the things, and then they would move them, so he had to start again!  L was in good spirits though (isn't he always), and they enjoyed playing all together on the floor! 

Thursday, E requested to play with some dried lentils and dried beans (that we have been pretending we would eat at some point, but they've been in the cabinet for 2+ years now).  She really enjoyed pouring them into cups and bowls, and using measuring spoons and cups to test the different amounts.  It was a good, impromptu homeschool lesson in measuring, one that we definitely stumbled onto because E asked to do it--child-led learning at its best!

 

The weather has been gorgeous this week--we've logged quite a few park hours, and we've  really enjoyed being outside (E always has, and L seems to go right along with her about that).  E has been making new friends everywhere we go--she is not a shy child by far.  I'm glad she didn't inherit my shyness, but listening to her conversations with anyone who will look at her often leave me laughing (or cringing--like when she invited the neighbor to the park with us today).  L is such a happy baby!  He loves people (oh geez, just like his sister), and even yells (in baby talk of course) when they ignore him or stop talking to him.  He definitely wants his fair share (or probably more) of the attention.  I can't believe its been 6 months since he was born--such a delightful baby, and so very different from his sister!!  He LOVES her so much--it amazes me to be able to already see the love in his eyes for her when she is in his face, picking on him or talking loudly, or other things that would be irritating to most anyone--he loves it--he's smiling and laughing at her the whole time.  Its hard to tell her "Brother doesn't like that; be gentle, you're going to hurt him" when he is grinning.  My favorite is when she says "He's a smiley (smiwey--the way she says it) smiley baby!"