enjoy

Yesterday I came home and was in a good mood because I had accomplished stuff at work.  I also got some stuff done that I hadn't been able to do.  So when I went to put jammies on Nat, we had an impromptu wrestle and giggle session.  I was sitting on the floor and she plays a game where she pushes me over and I pull her on top of me and tickle her.  We then wrestle back and forth which leaves her in a fit of laughter. 

At some point, she says 'dop' while laughing hysterically and I let her roll onto the floor.  She was laying on my arm and we were both looking up at the ceiling.  She sighed after she got the giggles under control and then said 'ready, go' and launched at me for another tickle/giggle session.  This happened about 3 or 4 times before I said we had to stop for night night time.  I enjoyed just playing with her.  My heart truly was full.   I took a second and said thank you for blessing me with this moment.

more words

like Nana said some of her favorite words are 'ba-ba' which I am not sure where she got that for 'Nana' but I am guessing it is a combo for Nana and Papa.  They come in a match set typically to our house so it makes sense.

another fave is 'I heeeelp' - but i don't know how to put that one in letters exactly how she says it. 

and 'dop'  I can't forget dop!  dop is 'stop' for those of us who have trouble with 'st'.  and it works especially well when said to the big sister.

and of course there is the 'I do'.  when you are nearing 2 years old and you have a big sister, everything is an 'I do'.

one word that she learned quickly is 'stuck'.  lately this is for when she crawls out of her crib and gets stuck between the crib and the wall.  'Daddy!  Stuck!'  was just overheard from the monitor.

Words

Itty Bitty has been saying a lot lately:

"I knock" - when she knocks on any door.  Including when she locks herself into a room where she can't get out of.  If she knocks, it means someone will open the door... right?

"I coming" - if she wants us to wait for her, or when we say 'let's go'

Vail

We traveled to Vail via flight to Denver and car to Vail for our friend's wedding.  We traveled with Nat and in the grand scheme of traveling with an almost 2-year-old breastfeeding child, she did great!  I love the picture above.  It was just before the wedding and it was at 10,000+ feet.  I was worried about how she would do because she couldn't tell us if she was dizzy or her head hurt.  But, she was fine and playing... even spitting during the ceremony.

blah

i haven't posted in ages. my kids are awesome. facebook posts are
mostly about my kids and running. life in a nutshell... kids, work,
run, clean, sleep, eat and repeat

Shutterfly book

Thank you Groupon!

Click here to view this photo book larger

sisters boots

one day these boots will be mine!  all mine!  muahahahaaha

17 months

lil nut is 17 months old.  we are still nursing "part time".   i am partly ready to give it up and partly holding on to dear life that she nurses for months more.  lots of the what ifs.

18 months
still nursing part time.  sometimes in the morning but mostly in the evening/at night.  i think we are finally (finally!) sleeping through the night.  this is a huge milestone for us because it is more than one night where she sleeps from 7:30ish until at least 5 or 6 a.m.  it's a miracle at this point.

nursing is such a love/hate relationship at times.  i still love the closeness of nursing.  i still loathe that at times all she wants is me and the boobs.  or out in public she can reach down my shirt and pretty much tell the world what she wants - and some people stare like how OLD is that kid?!  on the other hand when i can sit in the recliner and she looks at me and she just wants to nurse.  it is so wonderful to know that i can provide comfort to her.  i like so many things about breastfeeding her this long and there are some things that make me ready to quit.  it is day by day.  love that i still can keep the weight off because of nursing... which is oh so selfish.  i love that i can get vitamins in her when she is sick by nursing.  i get annoyed when she pulls on me like taffy or plays with my armpits... really, armpits are fascinating?!  well, we will continue this for now.  it's good for her and it is good for me and at this point that is all that matters.

texas tornado

that's what daddy called her today.  itty bitty is a whirlwind.  picking up toys and throwing them.  eating food and spitting it out when we say 'finish what is in your mouth and i will give you this'.  running away from me when i bring diaper and jammies for bed time.  trying to say so many words, imitating sounds of animals, and so much more.  life with a near 5 year old and a 1 and a half year old is a pure tornado of constant movement, clean up and catch up.

personality

'cause you got personality...  talk, personality walk, personality...

you love bananas.  it was the first food you learned to 'say' even though it sounds like balololo  where as your sister's favorite food was avocado.  for awhile we couldn't even say 'banana' without you wanting one

you love, love, love music.  we crack up because you do the 'booty drop' whenever music comes on.  even when someone's cell phone rings.  and with the giant cloth diaper butt it gets some serious movement.

you are so strong.  strong willed and strong physically.  i don't know what it is about babies and beer, but you bee line for a bottle if it is within sight.  you grab hold of the bottle and i literally can not get you to let go.  i have to pry your fingers off of it.  

16 months and kisses

itty bitty is 16 months.  today.   she is our mini godzilla right now.  throwing toys, dumping things out, playing in the sink, screaming when told 'no', hitting when frustrated, dropping food all over the floor from her chair, etc.  sometimes i wonder how parents forget the craziness of having kids.  it is mostly chaos 90% of the time.

but, then there are the good parts...
she has been giving kisses for a couple of months now.  the full on, open mouth, come at you, demand for kisses! sometimes she will even grab your head and pull you to her kiss. 

at night we have our routine of nurse, brush teeth, read a book and then she snuggles on my shoulder before I put her in her crib.  for the past couple of weeks she has been laying her head on my shoulder and then in the dark i can feel this warmth on my cheek.  it is nut with her mouth open breathing on me waiting for kisses.  i can't help but smile and give her kisses.  then last night i realized she hadn't given me kisses for a couple of days.  and just as i was realizing it i had this little head turn to me and warmth on my cheek.  i gave her kisses and put her in her crib. 

2010 Highlights and lowlights

It is 2011.  I don't know where to start about the past events of last year.  But, we sat at the dinner table the other night and talked about our favorite things of the past year.  The hubby and I commented on the top tv shows, movies, music played in our house.  Most of it was kid centric...

Our #1 musician of 2010 - Caspar Babypants.  I think this is the only show our family went to this year.  And it was played frequently in the car and in the house.

Our #1 kids tv show -  I would say Yo Gabba Gabba dominated the first half of the year, while the second half was Angelina Ballerina.

#1 tv show for mom and dad - Raising Hope/Amazing Race - we watched both shows together and we agreed that they both were great.  Sunday night tradition of spaghetti, garlic and Amazing Race was pretty great.

#1 new kids movie - Tangled.  (Mommy thinks this may be her favorite movie too)

#1 new adult movie - i don't think we made it to a movie this year.  we watched lots of movies on Netflix and Mommy fell asleep through most of them.  Good ones that Dad watched included Avatar and Inception.

2010 Highlights:
Kendal says 'My Birthday party'
Mommy says 'Finishing 2 half marathons'

But, there were low lights that we are glad to say goodbye to last year.  Passing of loved ones, hospital visits for RSV, family jobs lost, etc.  We are looking forward to 2011 and all the fun things it will bring.