Why having a 2 year old is hilarious

Yes I said it - tantrums, indecisiveness, screaming and all - having a 2 year old in your house seriously can provide hours of entertainment.  Thank goodness, because if you're taking a positive look at things - the entertainment outweighs the frustration.  Most days.

Case in point.  Just in the last 24 hours, Charlie has done the following things that literally had me laughing out loud for quite a while:

While playing with his tractor outside, he turned the tractor over and pointed to the underside and asked about the tractor's "peno" (aka male private part in Charlie's vocabulary).  Then talked about it and how a tractor gets powder (baby powder for diaper rash).  I mean what!?!?

We decided to start Friday off with a bang and take everyone to McDonald's for breakfast.  We rarely ever go out to eat, so this was fun!  Charlie talked about going to "Old McDonald" the whole way there.  Then he got a sausage biscuit, hashbrown and fruit and yogurt parfait.  Even though he talked about the hashbrown very clearly, apparently he thought at some point it was chicken and the sausage biscuit was a pancake (what/!?!).  And proceeded to tell his teacher at school when we got there how he had pancakes and chicken for breakfast.

He participated in the ice bucket challenge video with both me AND his father and wanted more.  WTH?

He literally goes from hating something to wanting it in 2 seconds flat.

Watching him run around imitating Tarzan and banging his chest and yelling.  Like loud yelling.

While these might not be as funny reading them (because honestly, I'm not laughing out loud typing them...), but at the time and watching my sweet boy say and do these things - gives me hope and makes me confident that this is one of the many reasons I'm lucky to be a mom - in particular his mom.

Rocking a mustache at school 

Oh my- Maddie is terrified!!

Happy Friday friends!

6 weeks with our little mamasita

This Friday marked 6 weeks since Miss Maddie made her 8 day early debut into this world on July 4!

It's crazy how much she has already changed from looks, demeanor and behavioral  patterns in just a short 6 weeks.  She has gone from a little baby that needs to be held around the clock to slowly showing a little independence. Which as a mom the second time around, I find myself loving and hating all at the same time.  

Totally different perspective this time because I KNOW that this time will not last forever.  I know at some point she will sleep through the night and she won't need me all the time to feed and hold her and interact with her.  And that time will come faster then I'm probably ready for.  Because that is how I feel when I look at Charlie!  Like I just wished for these sleepless nights to go away and just like that - they did and now he's 2.  I'm hoping it doesn't go as fast with Maddie, but I'm guessing from how it's going so far, it will go faster!!!

While I haven't been as good as keeping up on the weekly updates (I mean the weeks are FLYING by), I'm trying to get better.  Not only to document her life, but also the milestones and what we are doing as parents.  Because guess what?  Last night we actually went back to Charlie's six week post to see if we had a routine with him yet - because honestly while it was only 2 years ago - we cannot remember anything about the early days and when we did what with him, etc.  And that my friends is why I'm happy that I blogged.  And means I'll be blogging more about Miss Maddie and our adventures with her.

What's hilarious to me is comparing Maddie and Charlie at 6 weeks (based on his post):

Charlie weighed 11lbs and 2 ounces ~ Maddie weighs 11lbs and 4 ounces

I went to sonic happy hour while Charlie was crying; yesterday Maddie and I did that

Charlie met Brett and Craig during his 6th week of life ~ Maddie met the Holt family (Craig, Ryan and Susan) during her 6th week of life (Brett met her at the hospital!)

We had lunch with Charlie at my grandmother's house during week 6 ~ We had dinner at my grandmother's house with Maddie last week!

Charlie went to church for the first time at 6 weeks ~ Maddie?  Well, she went at week 2!!

Charlie was only taking 2.5 ounces from a bottle ~ Maddie is champ and will suck down 3 easily!

Pretty fun right?

So what else about Maddie at six weeks?  Here are some things I don't want to forget:

• She is finally smiling and we are loving it!  
• Staying awake for longer stretches during the day
• HATES the car seat and car (totally opposite from her brother)
• Loves her a good pacifier (again totally opposite from her brother)
• I'm finally getting better at putting her in bows and she looks adorable!!!
• We are for sure not on a "routine" or "schedule" at this point, but she usually eats every 2 - 2.5 hours during the day (unless she's snoozing and then it can be 3 hours).  Which I'll take because she sleeps so well at night.
• As far as bed time?  Well, as of last night, we started to divide and concur and give Charlie and Maddie a bath at the same time.  I say divide and concur because Maddie obviously has to take a bath in the baby tub vs. in the big tub with Charlie (but oh my, when that day comes and they can bathe together, how nice and sweet will that be?).  So last night, I put Mddie to sleep around 8:30...after eating...and guess what?  It was heavenly.  She slept until 1 and then ate and back to sleep until 6:30.  Um...yes please.  And it was so weird to not have her up and screaming until 10PM.
• Did I mention screaming until 10?  Well - what had been happening was we would put Charlie to bed and then take Maddie downstairs to sleep on us while we hung out/watched TV.  Well - she seemed to go into somewhat of a colic state and would cry and cry and cry for no reason at all.  It was miserable.  Poor Jimmy usually got to deal with it too.  So guess what?  Since we read Charlie's 6 week post and read that he was on somewhat of a bedtime routine at this age, we just went with it.  And apparently that's what you needed - at least last night.  We will see how that goes.
• Maddie has slept in her room/crib only twice - I know - horrible.  But it's not because we are not willing to let her leave our room...but it's her room.  It's SOOOOO hot.  Like even with the fan, AC cranked up - just outrageously hot.  No way we are putting her in there - so trying to figure out how to regulate the temp in her room better with the hot hot temps this past week.
• Nursing is going great - she is super efficient.  It's crazy compared to Charlie.  She only takes about 10 minutes (sometimes 15) but gets what she needs and is done.  Has to burp {loud} in between sides and sometimes only takes one. I did give up dairy and it seems to be helping her a lot!
• She spent time with Aunt Shellie solo yesterday morning while I went to work in the morning for training and did great!  Shellie said she took a bottle like a champ and was so fun and cute.  Makes me feel much better about starting her in day care part time right after she turns two months.
• She farts and burps like a grown man - seriously!
• She loves the Ergo carrier - I carry her in it everywhere.  The store, our house, during walks.  She loves being close to her mama.  Except the infant insert gets HOT, so I'm excited for the weather to cool down.
• Charlie LOVES her.  When she cries - he gets so upset and runs to us and says "Baby Addie crying" and wants to find a pacifier to make her feel better.  He's so good at giving her kisses at nighttime and when he goes to school in the morning.  I know that he will protect her for life and I'm so happy about that already it brings tears to my eyes.
• We LOVE her.  Oh so much.  She just completes our world right now and makes me so happy and feel so much love.  Being a mom is literally the best and being a mom to two little stinkers seems to be even better!!

Here are some pictures from the last few weeks!

You love the Wub a nub and Rock N Play

Her first time at the pool!

Ah - smiling and sleeping baby  My favorite!

Cute cute outfit and headband!

Snoozing with dad :)

Ha - in her car seat and brother in her Rock N Play!

Church outfit!

Mom and Maddie out for sushi - first time solo dinner party of 4

This is what we do on maternity leave...

 Also - have you noticed sister falls asleep during tummy time?!?!

THe cutest!!

More sleeping poses - in all different places - even the pool!

OMG baby in a swimsuit - I die!!  Thank you Aunt Shellie for this one!

Here's a fun next six weeks lady!!!

Married for 60 years

This Saturday my mom's side of the family got together to celebrate my grandparent's SIXTIETH wedding anniversary at our house.

My mom had such a fun idea for the party.  Since my grandmother is such a great cook - she had everyone coming sign up to make and bring one of my grandmother's favorite recipes.  That way no one had to cook for everyone AND we got to enjoy some of our family's favorite dishes!!

My aunt (and all my cousins from Colorado) were in town and took the responsibility to gather together a TON of old pictures of my grandparents and our family over the years.  We all watched them on our TV (all 500+ of them!) and had some good times laughing and telling stories and laughing.  Mainly at our outfits and hair from the past.  I will have to get some pictures from my aunt to post, but in the mean time, here are some goodies from the weekend of the whole family and subsets of the family.

Most of the Stephens gang - my uncle & cousin had just left and his daughter wasn't able to make it.

My mom, her sister's and their parents.  My uncle had just left - sad!!

Bruns/Carter family

4 generations of Stephens ladies!

Our family of 4!

Holt boys with grandmother and granddaddy

Bruns girls with grandmother

The Holt boys + their girlfriends

Some of the Sheil gang

Great Aunt Susan with Maddie

Some of the dishes that were made for everyone to enjoy:

Meatloaf (YUM!)

Spaghetti Pie

Hadley Special

Orange jello with Apricot dressing

Bacon wrapped water chestnuts

Marshmellow delight

Lemonade cake

Mexican cornbread

What was missing?  Deviled eggs!  Haha.  My grandmother even commented on it - but come on, no one can make deviled eggs even half as good as she can....so I told her I didn't even try!  And it's true!

What a joy celebrating sixty years of marriage.  I mean are you serious?  It's amazing what a marriage and life it has been for them - traveling all over the Midwest as my grandfather is a retired Methodist minister, having a raising 4 kids, cooked a million pies, moved I have no idea how many times (that stresses me out!) and in love the whole time.  Seriously, I think just moving that many times might have broken that many couples.  I know just moving our house once was stressful for us! 

We are so lucky to have grown up with such great grandparents too - fun times with them at all their houses, but mostly at the lake house they used to have.  Oh man - going out on Table Rock lake, cliff jumping (I didn't do, my cousins did), playing dress up with all my grandmother's clothes, playing dominos and eating homemade ice cream...the list could go on and on.  Such a great example for marriage they have set for us!

Happy 60th anniversary!!

Today

Oh goodness.

Started out with no sleep thanks to my sweet little angel that decided she wanted to wake up every two hours.  Let's add to that the night prior she went a 5.5 hour stretch (what what?!?), so last night was like a dirty little trick.  

I went into work.  Yes, my baby girl turned 6 weeks old today and I went into work for a half day of training.  Long story short, my boss took another job outside of my company which I found out Monday.  His last day?  In a week and a half.  So I'm doing a few half days of training.  But seriously...no sleep + getting ready for work + getting a screaming toddler out the door = no fun.

Speaking of a screaming toddler - Charlie had his double ear infection last week?  Well new antibiotics meant some wicked stools and some HORRENDOUS diaper rash.  So all we hear is how much his "peno" hurts.  And I can see why.  Poor kid.  You know it's bad when your day care person who changes TONS of diapers says it's the worst she's ever seen. 

We've tried everything.  Running around naked.  Baths in baking soda.  Diaper cream.  Doctor even recommended athlete's foot cream + vaseline.  Yowsa - poor kid.  Screaming like it burns.  It does.

Then we went and toured the infant room at Charlie's day care where Maddie will be.  She might be going there a little sooner then planned and going in there and seeing it made me more sad then I thought.  Like I didn't want to let her go.  It just makes it so real that she is actually growing and getting older by the day.  

Add on to that leaving my baby girl for the longest stretch ever followed by a ridiculously awful doctor's appointment (well check ups for both kids...at least no one got shots!)...I was spent at about 3PM.  

At least we got some good family time in!

We are celebrating my grandparents SIXTIETH (yes you read that right...60 years) wedding anniversary tomorrow at our house.

Besides getting confirmation that we have healthy and growing (aka huge) kids, the best part of the day?   Coming home to a CLEAN house.  Yes friends, the Carter's have a cleaning lady again and I literally couldn't be more happy.  Seriously.  After a day like today - walking into a house that is clean and smells so good was heaven.  Thank you to my sister in law for a fabulous recommendation.  

I might or might not have laid down on the clean carpet and rolled around.  Delicious.

But friends - tomorrow is a new day.  And today was just a speed bump on this journey called motherhood. 

Happy weekend!

Oh wait...I literally put my computer down to walk upstairs before I published this and walked through a huge puddle of dog pee on my nice clean wood floors.

Seriously.  Three dogs for sale.  They are old.  Pee and poop everywhere and bark constantly. Come and get Em.

Maddie's newborn pictures

Just eight days after little miss Maddie made her debut into this world, the wonderful Amanda Malone came over to our house to capture a glimpse of our life as a family of 4 and get some close ups of Maddie. 

As always, they turned out great!!  I always wondered what family pictures on a bed would look like after seeing them all over pinterest and I'm not sure I"m sold on doing it again, but for these, they turned out great!!!  

Some family pictures....

Very intrigued by her!

A dad and his babes!

 And then we headed to Maddie's nursery for some pics with her!

Those lips!

This outfit is just so sweet!!

 

And then I bribed Charlie with a Popsicle to come back upstairs and take some pictures with her.

It worked out ok.  But at least we got some of the 2 of them.  And he got his Popsicle!

And there you have it! Maddie's newborn pictures.

Looking back, I don't think I ever put Charlie's newborn pics on here - I will have to add them!