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The Best Mother’s Day Gift

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Corinne’s Monthly Updates

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Corinne – Two Months

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Corinne – One Month

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Siblings

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Pregnancy Update

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Painted Easter Eggs

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Our Family is Growing!

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Monthly Update

Colette: Nine Months

January 29, 2016

Nine months old. Three quarters of the way through her first year. How do they grow so quickly? Why is the time flying by?
Colette had he nine month well check earlier this week. She is 16 pounds, 15 ounces and 27.1 inches long: 28% for both! She is in 9 month and 6-12 month clothes. She is right on track for growth, which makes its easier to not worry so much about her progress with solid foods. She is still only eating the same foods as a month ago, and when she does eat, it’s only a couple of bites. Our philosophy is still as long as we keep offering, she will eat when she is ready.
She finally got her first tooth a few weeks ago. The second followed soon after but is still barely there. Now if she would just start using those chompers for eating.

At nine months exactly, Colette was still not crawling. Not even a week later, she is mobile. It’s a slow combination of scooting, turning in circles, and crawling, but she is moving. She is also pulling up on anything she can get her tiny hands on. Only up to her knees so far, but she is so proud every single time.

Her favorite activities include splashing in the tub, blowing raspberries, not sleeping, and playing with her brother’s toys. If it’s intended for an infant, it’s super boring. If it’s made for a three-year-old, she must play with it! She wants to do anything her big brother is doing, which spells trouble for us in a few months (if that long!)

 
She is growing so quickly, I’m trying to take note of little bits of her personality or quirks that I want to remember because I know they won’t last long. Like the way she looks down at her legs  with frustration and determination when she is trying to crawl but her knees are not following. And the way she screams when she gets mad; it’s very rarely a cry. She actually screams at us, and it would be super annoying if it wasn’t so cute to see such a tiny thing get so mad. I love the way she talks with her hands, just like her Daddy. Or the way she leans over and looks around you if you are blocking something she wants to see (the TV in particular.)
 
I just love seeing her little personality develop. She is going to be spunky and sassy and will make her opinions known, but I think she will also keep a smile on her face and love those close to her with a big heart.
 
 
Happy Nine Months, Colette! We love you so much!!!
Holidays Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving 2015

January 22, 2016

So apparently I never shared anything from our Thanksgiving, so why not now. Better late than never, right?!

We started our Thanksgiving with snuggles with our littles and took our time getting out of the bed. Then our first stop of the day was Corey’s parents’. We filled our bellies then went outside to jump in the biggest leaf pile ever. Colette had her first dinner roll and Cullen made a new friend in their neighborhood. That evening, we had dinner with my family, where we had my new favorite cake, so delicious!
 
I don’t have very many pictures, because we really just spent the day eating and enjoying time with our loved ones. Nothing really exciting or noteworthy, but a wonderful time just being together. It was exactly what Thanksgiving should be.

Birthdays

A Three-Year-Old’s Monster Bash

January 21, 2016
We celebrated Cullen’s third birthday this past Saturday with a Monster Bash for family and his closest friends. 
We decorated with monsters and googly eyes everywhere. Monster invitations, googly eye chandelier, monsters on the chandelier. I made all of the decorations and games, and spent way too many hours with a stack of cardstock and my glue gun, but I think it was totally worth it.

The kids had fun playing Feed the Monster and Pin the Eye on the Monster. We also had a photo booth set up so everyone could dress up like a monster. Side note, when I first painted this blue monster, I left off the black of the eyes, and the nails. Cullen thought it was the silliest monster and loved looking at it. As soon as he saw the eyes and nails for the first time, he ran our of the room crying and scared to death. He quickly got over that and realized it was still just as silly, but for a moment, I thought I was going to have to cancel the whole party. Oops!

I think Cullen and his friends really had the best time sticking eyeballs to the monster and each other and throwing bean bags into the monster’s mouth (and at each other.)
We kept the food simple but really enjoyed some eyeball cookies, monster snack mix, and a three-layer monster cake. Yep, even the desserts got eyes. The real theme of the party was, lets see how many things I can stick an eyeball on!

After blowing out the candles, playing all of the games, and opening gifts, Cullen thanked his guests and sent them home with a kit to make their own playdough monsters. We filled the favor bags with playdough, googly eyes, pipe cleaners, pom poms, and feathers: everything needed for silly monsters.
On Sunday, Cullen’s actual birthday, we celebrated with a doughnut cake and gifts from us. Stickers, Monsters Inc. and puzzles. He even got a surprise visit from his Uncle and hopefully-one-day-to-be Aunt!

A few hours after his party, Cullen started feeling sick and had a fever for the rest of the weekend. Despite not feeling his best, he had a great weekend with friends and family. Loved playing with all of his new toys and puzzles, and even made it outside for a little T-ball.

Happy Birthday, Cullen! We loved celebrating you this weekend! Thank you to everyone who celebrated with us!
Monthly Update

Colette: Eight Months

January 8, 2016

At eight months old, Colette is still a perfectly happy little baby. She just refuses to sleep at night. Or during the day. Someone has major fear of missing out! So I have been getting very little sleep as well, but at least she is happy when she is awake.

She is finally starting to eat solid foods. We figured out that she is just not a fan of purees. So I guess we are going more of the Baby Led Weaning route. Isn’t it funny how sometimes our little ones make decisions for us? I have learned that research and knowing your options is good, but don’t ever bet on sticking to your initial and very well thought out plan. They will change that in a heart beat. Flexibility is the key to parenting. (Your’re welcome!) So my baby feeding plan has gone out the window and we are just offering Colette anything she shows an interest in eating. As long as it is safe of course. So far she likes bananas, apple slices, sweet potatoes, pasta, green beans, and bread. She will not eat anything off a spoon unless we let her do it herself, and she would much rather have a whole banana than slices.

She is not quite mobile yet, but she is thisclose to crawling. She gets on her hands and one knee, gets frustrated and falls down, and then immediately rolls over. I am sure it will be any day now, but I don’t know that I am really ready to be chasing another one around just yet. 

Colette has started reaching for people she wants to hold her. She gives little hugs when I pick her up, and she loves to give open mouth kisses. I tell her all the time, and even Cullen has started telling her, that she is the sweetest little girl!

She also loves to be upside down and anything her big brother does. He will push her over and she just laughs and laughs. She is going to be a little dare devil who does anything her brother suggests. Again, so not ready for that!

At this age, I love the way she blows raspberries all the time and the way she kicks her feet when she gets super excited. I love the way she tries to suck her thumb and eat at the same time. I especially love that she is happy and eager to smile all the time. She was suffering through her first cold when we took these pictures, and you would never know by her joyful smile.

Monthly Update

Colette: Seven Months

November 25, 2015
This past month seems to have passed by even faster than most. Time is flying by, but we are loving every moment with this little girl. She is easily the happiest and sweetest baby ever. She almost never cries, just yells a little if she gets hungry. She smiles all the time and laughs out loud at everything! I love the smiles and hugs I get when I pick her up and the way she takes breaks from eating just to look at me and touch my face. I can already tell she has a big loving heart!
Colette is in that sweet spot right now where she can sit up and play on her own without needing an adult right beside her, but she is not mobile yet. She is happy playing on her own, and we don’t have to put up baby gates just yet or worry about what she can get into if I walk into another room for a minute. It would be okay with me if things stayed like this for a while; I’m not quite ready to chase two littles around!
I am still trying to get her to eat solids, with very little success. We have tried butternut squash, summer squash, carrots, bananas, and oatmeal. Oatmeal is the only thing that did not make her gag; the only thing she willingly took a second bite of. We are trying apples tonight, maybe something sweet will get her used to the new texture?
Sleep is a struggle as well. Once I can get her to sleep at night, sometime after ten, she sleeps until morning, sometime between 6:30 and 8:00. Naps are where the real struggle is though. She cat naps all day and rarely sleeps longer than twenty minutes at a time. Any suggestions on getting her to actually nap? We’ve tried the crib, the couch surrounded by pillows, her bouncer, he swing. Nothing works. 

Like with Cullen, every stage seems to be better than the last. I love snuggly little newborns, but I really love all the smiles, learning, and playing that comes with this age. She is exploring a whole new world of toys, both hers and Cullen’s, reaching for and grabbing what she wants, and putting everything in her mouth. She is easily entertained in her high chair with whisks and spatulas while I cook dinner. (We are all excited about this new found independence!) It is so much fun watching her as she learns new things and explores the world around her! 
Happy seven months, Colette! We love you!
DIY Halloween Holidays

All the better to see you with, My Dear…

November 3, 2015
I hope you all had a wonderful Halloween! This was our best yet! 
I started thinking about Halloween costumes back in June. I wanted to do a group theme because who knows how long the kids will actually let me have a say in what they dress up as. After going back and forth between several ideas, we decided on Little Red Riding Hood, the Wolf, her grandmother, and the woodsman. (The main reason we went with this story: Corey didn’t really have to dress up.)
I made Cullen’s mask and tail and sewed “fur” onto a shirt and sweatpants. The plan was to take the fur off after the holiday and he’d have some comfy sweats. He informed me that the fur has to stay, so I guess he gets to be a comfy wolf! I made Colette’s dress using this pattern and designed the cape on my own. This is the first time I’ve successfully sewn clothing, and I must admit, I am pretty darn proud! At the last minute, I found the cutest play food for her basket; I’m all about purchasing things that can be used again and again, not just for one night.
Cullen practiced his wolf growl for weeks, but when it came time, he refused to wear his mask and tail any longer than it took to take pictures.
Cullen helped me make some popcorn snack mix earlier in the day, meaning he ate most of the ingredients. If you have not made this yet, do it now! My parents and Corey’s parents came over for dinner, so we all filled up on chili and cornbread before trick-or-treating. Most years, costumed kids are ringing our doorbell before we can even get dressed to go out, but this year it seemed like everyone waited for the Clemson game to end, which made all the men in our house happy. 

Still working on perfecting my chili recipe!
We left the Papas and Gigi at the house to watch football and hand out candy, while Corey, Mimi, and I took our eager trick-or-treaters door to door. Colette napped in her stroller the whole time. Cullen, who seems to have taken on the roll of family safety patrol, carried a flashlight and warned us of oncoming traffic as we walked through the neighborhood.
I was expecting Cullen to be as wide open as he was last Halloween, dragging us from house to house, but this year, he was much more hesitant to walk up to the doors. He was very polite and said “Trick or Treat” and “Thank you” at every house. My favorite part of the evening? When Cullen sang his Halloween song between houses. He will make up a song for anything!
“Halloween is fun.
  Halloween is fun.
    Halloween is fun!”
There was one slightly traumatic event at one of the last houses on our street with a man and a mask and tears, but Cullen went right back up to the house to get his candy after recovering from the scare. I was so proud of the way he handed being scared and didn’t let it stop him from going to the last few houses!
I think Colette enjoyed her stroll around the neighborhood and Cullen definitely had a great time! But more than getting candy, I think he enjoyed handing out candy when we got back home. He is such a people-person, he loved telling everyone that came to the door “Happy Halloween!”
I am already planning next years costumes, and can’t wait to get both kids fully embracing the holiday!
Monthly Update

Colette: Six Months

October 29, 2015
Six months kind of snuk up on me. I kept telling people Colette was five months old thinking she still had several weeks before she reached the half year mark. Then all of a sudden, there it was. 

 I never thought we would see the day, or at least this soon, but Colette is in the “normal” range for weight and height! She weighs 14 lbs 8.5 oz and is 26 inches long. That puts her at 18% for weight and 50% for length. She still looks so much smaller than the other babies her age, but she has rolls for days. She has rolls on the back her neck, at her wrists, and all up and down her legs. I wish pictures would capture her true chubbiness, but its truly something you have to see in person. And I love every single roll!

We have kind of started solid foods. I am making her food like I did for Cullen, with a plan to use some combination of purees and BLW. I thought she would eat up anything I put in her mouth, since she is constantly trying to grab anything we are eating, and we have to make sure any plates are well out of her reach. But so far she just spits out anything I give her. So for now we will just keep offering. (Its not like she’s lacking in calories or nutrients, did I mention the rolls?!)

She seems to have skipped rolling from back to front and has gone straight to sitting up. She sits really well on her own, but still topples fairly easily. Thrilled with this new freedom, most of her playtime is spent sitting and playing with her and her brother’s toys. I can’t believe how quickly she has gone from just observing the world around her to being so active and playing with real toys. 

I say it all the time, but these two have the best little relationship, and the love between them grows every day. Cullen can make Colette smile and belly-laugh like no one else. And he is not ashamed to do anything for a smile; his most recent Ghost-Frog gets her every time! He is quick to tell me to pick her up if she is crying and loves to hold her. But he is not above big-brother shenanigans. Like trying to hold her upside down or prying her eyelids open to wake her up because he “wants to play with her!”

Happy Six Months Colette! I am so excited to see how you grow over the next month! 
summer vacation

End of Summer Recaps: Vacation

October 6, 2015
I am being forced to accept that summer is over. Especially after the weather we have had in here SC recently and the cooler temperatures that have finally arrived. Over the summer, I took plenty of pictures, but haven’t really gone through all of them. Now that we are stuck indoors, I’ve finally gotten a chance to look through some of the memories we made this summer and decided to share some of them here.

I would like to apologize in advanced for the number of pictures in this post. I have a problem with decision-making.

In July, we took our annual family vacation to the beach. I was a little nervous about taking a then three-month-old to the beach, but it worked out just fine and we all had an exhausting, wonderful week! We went to the aquarium on the way down, spent every morning and most afternoons on the beach, skipped naps, and stayed up late.

Colette spent her days napping on the beach in her very own tent or eating under our favorite Turkish Towel.

Cullen had so much fun digging holes, jumping waves, chasing girls down the beach, playing putt-putt, and fishing in the canal with his Papa.

I wish we could go back right now, but I will settle for embracing fall and looking forward to returning next summer!

Baby #2 Monthly Update

Colette: Five Months

September 26, 2015
Five months old, 12 pounds, 9 ounces, and the sweetest and happiest little girl ever! She loves sitting up (I’m ready for her to be able to do that on her own), watching Cullen, and eating. She is all smiles all the time; I’ve even seen her smiling while she is screaming at me for food.

She has started reaching for what she wants: my hair, my face, Cullen’s toys. It’s time to keep my jewelry minimal and make sure tiny toys are out of reach. The look of determination on her face is hilarious when she sets her sights something and works to get it.

The only thing I’m not so happy about at this age, is that I have to hold her A LOT. Not because she doesn’t want me to put her down, but because she wants to sit up all the time. If I lay her down she is doing these crunches (you should see her abs!) Don’t get me wrong, I love having her close, but I’m ready for her to be able to sit on her own so I can start using two hands again.
She is still a great sleeper, once we get her to sleep at night. I don’t know how we ended up with a whole family of night owls, but she fits right in. I am usually able to finally put her in bed around 10 and she sleeps very soundly for eight and a half hours or so. It might be time to put the mesh bumper around her crib, she has started moving all over the place in her sleep and quite often wakes up with her tiny feet sticking out of the crib.
 
For about a week, Colette was projectile vomiting at least once every evening. This seemed to come out of nowhere and she was still happy the rest of the day, so we took her to the doctor to see what was going on. Although a little strange that is just starting at five months and only in the evenings, it looks like she has reflux. They gave us a prescription for Zantac and she is no longer covering me and the couch with “spit-up” every night. I am so glad she is happy all the time again.
Cullen is still her favorite person. I would be a little jealous if it were anyone else, but it makes a Mommy’s heart happy to see so much love between her children. He face lights up with the biggest grin I’ve ever seen every time he walks into her line of sight. And he is so sweet with her. He gives her hugs and kisses, loves to hold her, and there is nothing sweeter than seeing him pick up a book and read to her, making sure to show her the pictures on every page. I know there are bound to be arguments and fights as they grow, but I hope they have this kind of loving relationship forever!
I am going to leave you with these leg rolls and tiny toes. We never thought we would see rolls like this and are thrilled to have such a happy and healthy little girl!
Baby #2 Monthly Update

Colette: Four Months

August 26, 2015

Since Colette was SO tiny at birth, I feel like we have been more concerned with her weight and growth than most parents (and certainly more concerned than we were with Cullen.) I am happy to report that she weighs 10 lb 13.5 oz (2%) and is 24.5 inches long (50%). She is finally wearing size 1 diapers and entirely in 0-3 month clothes. Her not-so-tiny feet are outgrowing some of her jammies, so we may be moving up a size in jammies in the very near future. It is really no surprise that she is growing so much, she loves to eat! About a month ago, she figured out how to nurse without the nipple shield (Woohoo!!!) and has been layering on the leg rolls ever since!

Colette may just be the happiest baby ever. Her cheeks must hurt all the time; if she is awake she has a smile on her face. Especially if Cullen is around. I should probably feel a little jealous that he is her favorite person, but it makes me so happy that they already love each other so much.

One of her favorite things is funny faces. She laughs at funny faces and likes to play endless games of sticking-our-tongues-out-at-each-other.

She is also quite the little talker these days. Quite often, her nursing sessions take forever because she wants to stop and talk to me every five minutes. And don’t get me wrong, I love the bonding time with her, but sometimes I’d like to be able to get some other things done.

 Most recently, Colette has mastered the art of rolling from front to back. She is so proud of herself every time she flops over and escapes the oh-so-hated tummy time! The funniest is when she rolls to her side, grins and coos, and then keeps moving onto her back. She is so pleased with herself, and wants everyone to know about it! I have a feeling she will be sitting, crawling, standing, and walking before we know it. If she is awake, she wants to be sitting or standing (with help of course).

She is still sleeping about six hours during her longest stretch at night and is finally in the crib in her room. For some reason it was a lot harder to move her out of our room than it was with Cullen. Probably because she is still so little it seemed like we were moving a newborn. But she has done well so far, and I have been able to sleep better than I expected without being able to just roll over and check on her.

 We are so blessed to have this little one a part of our family. We all fall more in love with her every day and have so much fun getting to know her sweet little personality!