Happy 18 Months Avalynn!

Baby Girl -

So, earlier in the week, your 18 month, 1 1/2 yr birthday passed.  I honestly, didn't even realize it until 10pm that  night.  You are a fireball of energy these days keeping us all on our toes.  My Dr thinks you are part of the reason I'm having great weight gain this pregnancy.  Even though you tire me out, it's all worth it.  This week Daddy and I worked on your new joint room with Emma, last night was your first time sleeping in the same room.  You did very well, we still have you in your crib, but your big girl bed is all assembled, just have to pick up your mattress (we've been storing at Gramma's & Pop-Pop's), and put on your new bedding when it arrives next week.  Although you won't be making the switch to that bed anytime soon.

You still aren't saying that many words, hi/hello, buh-bye, tickle, tickle, tickle, night night, your own version of ready, set, go, Bella no!,  mama = Emma, Mom or MomMom is Daddy or I.  For some reason you've stopped saying Dada, and everyone is Mom.  Sometimes you'll repeat words, but nothing consistent that you continue saying.  You move your fingers like you are snapping but make the noise with your mouth, it's too cute.  You do understand though when we ask you to get something or put away a toy.  You also can go down the steps as well as up, with one of us behind/in front depending which direction you are going.  Daddy taught you how to go down last week, and with your room now 2 floors up from the main level, I'm thankful!

You are such a big helper on cleaning days.  I give you your own cloth, and you'll put your sippy cup upside down on the furniture and make the "shh" spraying noise the cleaner makes when I spray it for my own cloth.  It's so cute!  When anyone is crying, usually Emma, you'll go over and pat her and talk to her in your own words to her and give hugs and kisses.  You love coloring, being a monster and chasing Emma, dancing when any song comes on, and tickling anyone.  You've had lots of pool time this summer and enjoy being in your ducky raft playing with some floating pool toys.

We have your 18 month check-up in a couple weeks. Your feet have grown again and we just got you new sneakers in a size 7.  Your holding steady in the clothes dept at the 24 month size, now that you are so mobile you can tell that you are losing some of your baby-ness.  You are in size 5 diapers.  Your hair is long enough to be up in a 1/2 pony tail, pigtails, or swooped to the side with a couple barettes.  Your bottom 2 molars have popped through in the past couple weeks, you now have 10 teeth total. You eat pretty well overall, still picky about potatoes or noodles or any kind except for spaghetti or french fries.  You are always using a fork now and love to dip your meats in ketchup.  You love your veggies and you look fwd to having your nightly popsicle after dinner.

You are doing better when there are other babies around, especially when I'm holding them.  You are a *big* Mommy's girl, always climbing up in my lap, aka pouncing on the belly, all the time for snuggles or to just sit.  I was getting worried with Brynlee's arrival around the corner, but as more times passes, I have a feeling you are going to be a great big sister just like Emma.  So many fun things coming up, I can't wait to see your excitement with the coming holidays this fall and Brynlee's arrival.

You are such a bright light of pure JOY in our lives, I look fwd to the coming months.

Love you,
the Mama

Cell Phoneagraphy–Wk 2

Breakdown of the week:
1. Temps were seriously ridiculous in the 100’s, but the kiddo’s were driving me batty, some outdoor water table fun was called for!
2. Quilt front finished!
3. I convinced the Hubs (who is a very good sewer) to sew together the long panels I had already pieced together.
4. Youngest being silly with smiles.
5. Pool fun needed to cool off at the Great-Grandparents.
6. In the words of the oldest “Super Duper Yummy” dinner, pulled pork sandwiches (McCormick’s BBQ crockpot seasoning packet)  and loaded red potatoes.
7. Youngest had fun with the fwd facing camera on the cell.
8. Oldest had VBS all week, it was a sports theme, she did cheerleading, this is the last night.
9. The Bestie came over for a visit with her little man, Oldest is getting some practice in for when Baby B arrives.
10. They sit like this a lot, so cute.
11. Checking out her new kick’s.  Every 3 months we are having to buy bigger shoes.
12. Enjoying popcorn cake (popcorn, marshmallow, pretzels, and m&m’s) that the Bestie brought on her visit earlier in the week.
13. Sunday’s are cleaning day around here, and Oldest decided to clear out each shelf of toys and use the swiffer duster, when the Youngest woke from nap she wanted to join in the fun too.
14. Close-up.
15. Youngest saying “Ta-Da” after one of her dances.

Click here, to check out the other link-up’s for the week!

Week of Cell-Phoneagraphy–Wk 1

I’ve been seeing this meme around the blogosphere, and thought it’d be fun to start participating.  To visit all of the other link-ups, click here.



Re-cap of our week in photos.
1. Dinner time.
2. Avalynn showing off her ketchup cheese-y smile.
3. 29 1/2 weeks pregnant.
4. Final quilt layout.
5. Baby shower gift for one of my friends.
6. Dylann and I at her shower.
7. The girls’ painting with water outside.
8. Snack time, I walked into the living room and they were sitting like that.
9. Busy day with no nap, she was zonked out on the way home and didn’t wake up when we got home.
10. Daddy cutting Miss A’s nails.  Normally, she’s really good, but she was overtired.
11. One of the Miss E’s sunflowers are blooming, they are HUGE!
12. Sunday morning smiles with some actually decent looking bedhead.

Friday Confessions

I confess...that last night I decided to get up when the Hubs does for work, so I could take a shower and eat breakfast in quiet for at most 30-45 mins before the girls' normal wake up time.

No sooner did I get done making the bed and picking out my clothes and the youngest was up.

Plan for quiet time without kids = EPIC FAIL.

I confess...I'm feeling like an 80 year old woman during the night when it comes time to flip over to my other side.

It's slow moving from side to back then side (as I don't want that sharp uterus pain in the side and other times it feels like my hips could just pop out of their sockets), while bringing the pillow in between my legs along for the flip and making sure the belly wedge is situated before settling back into my pillow to go back to sleep.

I confess...I should really just record myself saying the same 5 sayings, as I'm feeling like a broken record with the oldest this week.

I confess...I'm glad she's sleeping over at Mimi's tonight, I'm at my wit's end of her not listening, plus add in the normal talking back/sassy-ness and whining/crying over nothing  this week.

I confess...there is seriously nothing better to watch then when the girls' are playing together.

They are constantly chasing one another, laughing like crazies, and sitting beside one another during snacks etc.

I love watching their bond and can't wait to see what will come once the 3rd Musketeer is added. T-R-O-U-B-L-E I'm sure!!! 


I confess...I'm making a quilt for Brynlee.

Prior to this endeavor burp rags has been the extent of my sewing.

It's coming along really well and can't wait to share my progress over the weekend.

I confess...I had my 2 hr glucose test this week and the latest they told me I'd hear back from them if I failed was yesterday.

I received no phone call.

I can't believe I don't have Gestational Diabetes this time around, as I had it with Emma & Avalynn.

I confess...Both girls' were big and they induced me with both, within the 39th week.

I really do NOT want to go over my due date, especially since the Emma's bday is 5 days after my due date.

Plus I'm afraid of having a 10 lb baby.

I confess...I finally looked into the Pinterest app, and am so bummed that it's only for the iPhone.

Seriously, why does iPhone get everything first, Android phones are more and more and very popular too.


*Click on the button above to go visit everyone else's confessions for the week!*  Hope you have a great Friday, start to the weekend! 

29 Weeks - Pregnancy Update

Pregnancy Review: How far along: 29 wks 3 days

Total weight gain/loss: Am up 7lbs total.

Maternity clothes?: Yes please!

Strech marks?: Nothing new thank goodness.

Sleep: In the past week the horrible hip pain has started, plus sleep is interrupted 2-3 times to wake up and go to the bathroom.  Oh well, at least this time around, it didn't hit until the 3rd trimester, unlike Miss A's pregnancy.

Best moment this week: Had my appt yesterday, that Dr, unlike Dr. McDoucheNozzle last time, said that I was doing really well with my weight gain.  Plus, I had my 2 hr glucose yesterday and was able to keep it down, didn't hear anything today, so as long as I don't get a call tomorrow, that means I actually passed this pregnancy! 

Movement: She's becoming much more active.

Food cravings:  Baked sweets, bagels w/ strawberry cream cheese, corn are my major foods lately.

Gender: GIRL

What I miss: Knock out cold sleep.

Labor Signs: Nope

Belly Button in or out? No change, still an innie.

What I am looking forward to: Now that we have the rooms planned out, looking forward to putting it all into action and the finished product. 

Weekly Wisdom:
- Again about sneezing, but when getting ready to go to the bathroom and you have to sneeze, it's really really not a good mix. 

- 10 o'clock hour bedtimes are becoming a must. 

Milestones: Hello 3rd trimester!!! 

Banana Bread Recipe

A couple weeks ago while blog hopping through a linky party, I came across this banana bread recipe.  I’ve tried several different ones over the past years and think I’ve officially found my keeper.

Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup butter
- 3 bananas
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups flour
- 1/3 cup sour milk (1/2 tsp lemon juice & milk to 1/3 cup)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla
- *OPTIONAL: add in 1/2 cup of nuts or chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix all ingredients.  Lightly grease pan.  Bake 50-60 mins. 

Have made this twice so far in a bundt pan and it has come out perfect both times.

Also, this is as much fun for the girls’ to help me make it.  I throw the bananas in a gallon bag and hand it over to them after I make sure it’s sealed real well and let them mash them up to their hearts content. 

DIY Fountain

A couple of weeks ago, the family and I headed into Joann’s so I could pick up some fabric for the baby.  Hubs was immediately drawn to the 70% off clearance sign over some big heavy flower pots.  After finding two different sized versions of the same coloring he threw out the idea of making a water fountain for our big flower bed, as it’s sparse and could use something like that in it. 

The big pot originally marked $80, came down to $23, and the smaller pot originally marked $50, came down to $15.  Our house is older and we have no outside electrical outlets.  So, the next day he headed to one of our local hardware stores and bought all of the electrical things needed and a pump to make the fountain a fountain. 

Before starting on the electrical, my Uncle (who is an electrician) stopped by so the Hubs could double check everything he had planned and make sure that it was the right way to do it and it’d be up to code.  As not only is the fountain an improvement to the garden, but the added outdoor outlets is an upgrade to our house.  He gave us some supplies so we were able to return over $100 to the hardware store.

Overall, shopping and working time it only took the Hubs 1 day to complete this project. Total Cost = under $200

Now for some pics:

Here’s a shot of the pots positioned next to the outlet the Hubs installed.  He also painted some Kilz Primer we had on hand on the insides of the pots. 

Containers of rocks I picked up at Target.  Still need to get one more jar.

Shot of the Hubs filling the pots for it’s test run below.

Overall, am so glad the Hubs thought this up.  We love hearing the fountain, especially during the many night time swing sessions the Hubs and I have in the yard.   And we finally got around to getting our mulch this past week, so it definitely looks more finished instead of the dirt look we have going on above.
Linking up to:

Weekend Re-Cap

Hope everyone had a wonderful long weekend celebrating America’s 235th Birthday!!!

Here’s a little re-cap of ours:

- The girls’ got hit with some strange 24 hour fever, extreme fatigue, Miss A on Thursday and Miss E’s Friday – Saturday.
- Friday afternoon consisted of some cooking/baking, mini cherry/peach/plain cheesecakes, pickled eggs, seasoned pretzels, cinnamon sugar pie dough cookies = EPIC fail of a recipe!
- Friday & Saturday, two friends had their little bundles of joy.  Congrats Amber (old school friend/bloggy friend) and Moe (on-line mom group).
- Saturday the 2nd, the Hubs & I celebrated our 6 year wedding anniversary!  Oh, and by celebrated I mean he worked until 7pm, where we then rushed off to my Aunt’s annual cookout and came home around 10pm, with 2 very tired little girls.  We have a date night planned for tomorrow night though!



- Sunday, I’ve officially entered the 3rd trimester.  Holy cow, the countdown is getting closer and closer!
- Sunday night we watched Hall Pass.  It was really funny and I’ll admit to completely covering my face at one part, haha!
- Today was spent poolside at the Hubs Gparents.  Love days like that!


- The Hubs picked up some fireworks this a.m. that we set off with the oldest.  She enjoyed them a lot!
- My Uncle bought the oldest some special extra long rainbow sparklers to bring home.  She was doing one tonight during our own little fireworks show in the back yard.  The Hubs & I were taking that picture above of us and the last inch in a half flew off her stick on our blanket!  So glad none of us got hurt and sad to see that blanket have to be trashed.





Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend as well!

Guest Posting

Happy Friday - hope everyone has some fun plans for this 4th of July weekend ahead.  Today I'm Guest Posting about being a SAHM, stay at home mom, over at Karen At Home. If you have a moment, please pop over and she's been running this series since last week, so there are tons of other great posters to read through as well.