Thursday's Things

It is Thursday. Thursday of my last week. Thursday of my last week at home on maternity leave. I'll leave you with that.

Some of our things this week...

Nursery School

This week, we are simply enjoying being home as a family before I head back to my teaching job. Thinking about work and trying to squeeze as much as I can in this week has left me a little frazzled. With my brain in a million different places, I have been very forgetful. In my desire to enjoy time at home, yesterday, we were supposed to visit a preschool for Kay next year, and I completely forgot. It was on my calendar, and I just didn't remember. Who does that? I am so bummed because now I won't be able to check out the preschool during the day when kids are present.

It's okay, I wasn't prepared to look at school for my two year old. Seems insane, but I have to start making plans for next year with child care and school even though I don't have the next four months quite secure.

Mom of the Year over here.

Working It

I am happy with the progress I made at the gym. This week, I really pushed myself because I am scared that once I head back to work, our schedule will really change.

Like I said, I still have a long way to go, but with every run, I feel better and better. I am not going to mention how I had to take two days off this week because I was so sore from a Body Works Class that I could barely walk. 

Girls
I am currently obsessed with Girls on HBO. I have watched the entire first season in a few days, and I am on to Season 2. It is hysterical. All I can say is, I am so happy that I am out of my early 20's...

Pumping, Pumping, Pumping
I have been hooked to my pump for the past few weeks because I am trying to save as much BM as I can before heading back to work. I am loving these bottles. Hubby got some for free at a trade show, and we tried them and it is all I will use while I am at work so I had to stock up.

Nighttime Sorrows

For the past few nights, this little girl has been needing some extra TLC after being put to bed. She goes to bed easily then within 20 minutes she is calling for "my daddy" and standing in her crib staring at the door. Doesn't that break your heart? We had to give her a little tough love last night, so we will see how tonight goes!

So that's what is happening around here. Not much new or exciting, as we are just taking it all in. I hope everyone is gearing up for the weekend! 

This Time Around...

This time around everything feels different. I feel so much more relaxed and I am going with the flow when it comes to parenting. My days are filled with joy and happiness. The love I have to give is overwhelming at times when I look at my daughters. I have grown so much as a parent and a person since giving birth to my sweet Keira. 

When you have your first born, you want your child to be and do the best. I wanted my child to hit every milestone marker and I wanted her to hit those milestones early like that is the measure of good parenting or something equally ridiculous. With Keira, it is different. She is the baby of the family, and I want to preserve that feeling for as long as possible. 

This time around everything feels different.

Keira is my baby cakes, and I am content in keeping her that way as long as possible. I am not worried about the little things that I worried about with my Kay. When will she gain more head control, when will she be able to do a push up, when will she roll over, when will she sit up? She will do it when she is good and ready. I will be perfectly happy and proud of her no matter what she does and no matter when she does it. 

The past four months, I have truly just loved being with this baby every second of every day. I am just enjoying her being my baby. She is the happiest girl, and that is what matter to me.

This time around everything feels different. 

I have a new type of mother's intuition. I have more confidence, and I have decided what is important to me instead of reading what should be important to me. 

This time around, I am okay with waiting. I am not in a rush at all. We are going at our own pace, and I am loving it. We are holding off on starting our first foods because we are not quite ready for that yet even if our beloved pediatrician gave us the go ahead. We are still exclusively breastfeeding, and we decided that this is what we need right now. 

This time around, I am following my sweet baby Keira's cues, and I am a happier, more fulfilled mommy because of it. 

Mommy Confessions - Hair Edition

Okay ... it is that time of the week. Time for me to let you in on some of my downfalls.

I confess that I have no idea what to do with this hair.

Channeling Miley Cyrus

This beautiful child has one insane head of hair. It is thin, uneven, and unruly. Some days it looks like it has been fried by a straightener or some other hot tool. Some days it looks like a bad chia pet. Most days it looks like a mullet. Lately, it has really started growing with these thin dead ends just covering her eyebrows.

Only problem is that it grows out away from her head! My little cutie has THE mop of all mops, and I confess I have given up. I don't want to cut it because I am not quite ready for that, and she doesn't have enough to cut quite yet. I fail at brushing it, I fail at giving her a little ponytail, and I fail at bribing her to wear one of the million cute headbands or bows we have.

 And even with this head of hair, she is the cutest kid around.

3 AM

Shhhhh... do you hear that? It is a quiet house. The girls are in bed and sleeping. This momma has a chance to relax and unwind. I usually spend my time at night using my laptop, reading a magazine or a book, but mostly watching tv. I love that time at night, but it is not my favorite. Me, I love 3am.

After going to sleep, I am awakened by the little grunts and groans of my little girl on the monitor. I wait a few seconds to make sure she is really awake then I head into her dark, quiet room. As soon as she hears the door open, she hesitates because she knows I am coming. Her cries soften and she waits to see me over the side of her crib. I love scooping her up and bringing her head to my face. We get snuggled in on our rocker and she nurses. She nurses so furiously at first because she is starving, but after a minute or two, she slows down and slows down until she falls asleep again.

This is my favorite time of the day or night...when we have this special time alone. I love how her little body curls up against mine and it seems to fit so perfectly. I love her little lips with a little milk ring. I love her hands and how when she is hungry she grabs my shirt with a strong fist and as she gets full her sweet hand opens up, softens, and she caresses my chest or my shirt. I especially love the nights when she doesn't fall asleep right away and she will look at me, smile, and talk. I picture her telling me that she is just as happy and full of love as I am at that moment.

With two little girls, it is hard to be present in the moment. We are usually playing, running around, moving quickly from one thing to the other. At 3am, everything is different. It is like the world has stopped for a moment and we are peaceful.

Thursday's Things

Thursday, Thursday. Some of our things this week...

Lazy Mornings
Trying to soak up the last of our lazy mornings. No more room on Mommy's lap for a little snuggle time. I am cherishing every second of it!

Fitness
I've been heading back to the gym. 4 months post baby and I am up to 4 miles in 40 minutes... not too shabby. Long way to go though.

Have I mentioned that I need a treadmill? I would have loved to get to the gym everyday, but with hubby's work schedule and travel schedule, it just didn't work out. At least I have Jillian to kick my booty at home on days when I just can't make it to the gym.

Love this DVD for a quick home workout while the kids nap! Up next, I am going to give yoga a whirl. I am hoping it will help strengthen and stretch my back that has been giving me problems.

Panini Press 
I am loving my new panini press that I got for Christmas! It is so easy to make your typical grilled cheese, but oh baby, this thing can produce so much more deliciousness than that. This week, we had patty melts from good old PW! Oh nelly, pure good thing I ran 4 miles that day heaven. We had some other random deliciousness too. I have my panini Pinterest board all hooked up, and I can't wait to keep on indulging in grilled glory.

Poor Teddy Boy
He has a huge scrape on his nose. One day, he came in from outside with it, and it looks painful. We have been putting Neosporin on it. Poor guy. It is starting to look better and now he is just missing some hair!

And yes, this is how he rides in the car. He is ridiculous. I can't even get dressed or he is in my face and barking at me because he thinks we are going somewhere. He is a maniac. He tries to be a good boy.

Tummy Time
We are still working on tummy time over here. This baby has NO interest in trying to do a mini pushup. She just lays there with her head on the mat and puts her tush up in the air. She is a stinker. I can't believe I actually snapped this pic because this is a rare occurrence. I probably propped her up that way and she held it for a few seconds. She will just not use her chest and arms to push up. Any suggestions for me to help her get stronger?

It has been a great week! Happy almost Friday all!

The Cold Is Here

Brrrrr ... baby it's cold outside! Freezing today. Ice everywhere. Hard to remember that just two days ago, we were dressed in sweatshirts and having fun at the park. So glad we enjoyed the gorgeous day!

 She climbs, slides, and runs her little heart out.

Hoping this weather doesn't last long. Our little ones love the park.

Mommy Confessions Tuesday

I confess that I hide behind the pantry door to eat shit so my toddler will not see me! 

*short pause for judgment*

Yes, you read that right. I am a closet eater. Whew! It feels good saying it. Fruity pebbles, Coco puffs, Chips, Popcorn, even if it is for one small taste, I hide. I hide because once she sees it, it is all over. 

Mainly, I offer my daughter a variety of healthy foods. For breakfast, we usually have oatmeal, green smoothies, fruit and yogurt, or the occasional pancakes or waffles. For lunch, we have some variety of hummus, whole grain crackers or pretzels, fruit and veggies, nuts, or things like that. I don't typically offer my daughter many snacks. She is not a big eater and she is extremely PICKY so I try to limit her snacks to ensure that she will at least be hungry enough to try and eat our healthy meal. 

You see, one small snack and she falls off the bandwagon. She goes bonkers. She will repeatedly open my pantry door and pull out everything and anything she can find.... and it is usually what little junk I have. How the hell does she know? For real, she has never had a Coco Puff in her life. She has never seen the box. How does she manage to go in my pantry and pull out the hidden box of Coco Puffs? She doesn't even know what they are!??!

"Bowl Mommy," she will say holding a box of some forbidden goodie. "Big Bowl Mommy," as if the teeny tiny take-and-toss container I got out isn't big enough for her little 25 pound self. 

So you see, this is why I hide. I hide and stuff food in my mouth before she sees me...before she sees it and where I am keeping it because if she sees me, it is all over. With a sly grin, she will pounce on me at warp speed. 

So there you have it. Now, I am off to read some other Mommy Confessions liked up with Megan and Heather. Thanks ladies!

4 Months Old

This weekend my sweet baby "Gaga," as she is affectionately known by her sister, hit the 4 month mark. She truly has brightened my life in more ways than I can explain. These past four months have been the happiest I have ever been in my life. I feel so full and content. I feel incredibly blessed to have been able to bond with Keira and get to know every inch of her, right down to these little toes.

She is my special girl, and we have an incredible bond. Leaving her (and her sissy) to return to work might be the hardest thing I will ever have to do.

At four months, Keira ...

* is weighing in at a whopping 13 pounds 13 ounces (according to our home baby scale). Her sissy was only 11 pounds 9 ounces at this time! Keira is my little chunky monkey, and I cannot get enough of those chubby cheeks, chubby legs, and arm rolls. It is like pure heaven.

Chubby Cheeks

Chubby legs and arms

* is wearing 6 month clothes and some 9 month clothes. This little girl has a long torso. One thing is for sure... she fills out her clothes nicely.

* is a great sleeper. She goes to bed between 7:30 and 8:00 every night. We put her down wide awake, and she just drifts off to sleep without a peep. She still wakes around 2:30 in the morning to eat, but it doesn't bother me because we get to snuggle and have a quiet moment alone. Then, she goes back to sleep until the morning. Last night, she went back to sleep until 8:15 am which made for a happy mommy.

* is still sleeping swaddled up like a cocoon. The miracle blanket truly is a miracle. She uses it all night and for nap time, and it is still working for us. I am beginning to wonder if I should transition her out of it to help/aid in strengthen her little muscles. Anyone have any insight or advice in this area? 

* is the happiest baby on the block. She constantly smiles, sings, coos, and squeals. She is definitely vocal. She is so pleasant and easy. Nothing beats making eye contact with your baby and seeing her light up like the fourth of July.

* likes spending time on her play mat. She loves staring at the hanging toys or looking at lights. She hasn't quite tried to reach out for them yet, but she gazes at them intently. She likes when I play and sing with her. She loves peek-a-boo when I hide behind her feet. This game always brings the biggest smiles of the day. I am patiently waiting for her to start reaching out to grab things because she has a whole new world of toys waiting for her.

* still has some trouble with tummy time. She is just not interested in holding herself up on her arms or pushing up with her arms. She burrows her face in the mat and tries to inch along like a worm. I have been doing some of Mama OT's tips to help with tummy time. Her head is looking a little flat so I am hoping we start making big time progress in this area soon.

* like to watch your big sis as she plays near you. Your eyes follow her every move. She loves to come in and give you kisses galore. "Hi Gaga!" She says to you every morning as she greets you with a hug and a kiss. Don't worry Gaga, Kay and Teddy are taking care of all your toys and your things until you are able to use them... hopefully they will still be good by then.

Happy Four Months Keira Jane  XOXO

Thursday's Things

Happy Thursday all! One more day until weekend bliss. We are loving on some new things over here this week.

1. Homemade Hummus

Garlic Hummus & Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

We are huge fans of hummus in our house. A healthy snack/lunch that even my P-I-C-K-Y toddler will devour. Lately, we have been making our own delicious hummus. I finally found the easiest recipe that works for us. This recipe is easy, fast, and delicious. I have found that if I reserve some of the liquid from the chick peas (I use canned) and add it in then my hummus has an even smoother texture.

What is the key to great homemade hummus you ask. You have to peel the skins of the chick peas. It sucks, I know. The google machine told me to do it so I tried. Now every time I do it, I am thankful I did... but it is a pain. I start off with the best intentions and motivation, and by the time I am halfway through, I want to dump those little suckers in the food processor skins and all. I usually stick with it, and I have myself a delicious velvety snack. Yummy. So if you want your hummus to be the best ever, peel the skins my friends.

We love this stuff. I will never buy hummus again until I go back to work and don't have time for this shit. Next up, I definitely want to try Baba Ghanoush. Mmmm, I love all things Mediterranean. 

2. LC Lauren Conrad

Those who know me, know my love of Lauren Conrad. I am slightly obsessed. I just can't get over how she took her reality show fame and created an empire. I even have a Pinterest Board dedicated to her and her fabulousness. She is making inexpensive clothes for Kohl's these days. I needed a few things that will actually fit my post baby self  for my return to work and I found myself loving her stuff at Kohl's. 

 

Super cute tops for less than $30 bucks! While, I am not a big Kohl's shopper, being out of work for 7 months puts a damper on one's wallet (that's where mom swoops in to the rescue). Seriously, I am surprised it took me this long to get on the LC Kohl's bandwagon. 

3.  Schwinn Roadster

How rocker chick is this? We love this tricycle. A birthday gift from our favorite Aunt, this here bike is awesome. My father in law put blocks on the wheels so my sweet little girl can reach, and we are working with her to teach her how to ride it. I think the practice is helping her leg strength because she is starting to have success walking up the steps one step at a time without putting her hands down. Unfortunately, she constantly wants me to ride on the back. "Mommy is too big" 100 times a day can really do a number on one's self esteem.

4. Mama OT

I am obsessed with this momma's blog. She has tons of great ideas for development and play. I love how she offers her advice in a way that doesn't seem overwhelming or judgmental. Nothing worse, than looking at homemade playdough on Pinterest and feeling like a huge failure in life and parenting. She gives great tips for an infant's development and strength. LOVE her blog.

5. My watchdog. 

This boy will sleep outside of the girls' rooms while they nap. He will also jump all over you when you enter my house. Teddy, our lovable rescue pup, is making his blog debut today. After our spunky Lexi went to doggie heaven, our home felt empty without a dog. This summer, I started fostering again for Puppies and More Rescue, and I had this little boy in my home.

Well, that was that and now Teddy is a loving member of our family. 

He tries to be a good boy.

6. Sweet sparkling blue eyes. Who couldn't love those eyes. or those lips. or those cheeks. or her smell. or ... I could go on forever over here. I'm goo goo for Gaga.

And I will leave you with a little Where's Waldo Game courtesy of Kay. TGI almost F!

Hello.

Wine, food, babies, toys everywhere, spelling out curse words...what a wonderful Friday night we had. Our get togethers have a new look. Instead of going out all dolled up, we stayed at home chasing a kid, babies, and two wrestling dogs. I wouldn't have wanted it any other way.

It was a lovable chaos here. My friend Kate and I had to referee the dogs while they played their little hearts out, but mostly we just tried to keep them away from the kids. We watched as Kay emptied the entire contents of her playroom onto the floor. Showing off her toys is what she does best. A pile of take out menus, breast pumps, and good laughs defined our night. 

I also got to spend more time with this cutie. How adorable is she?

Every time I get to see her, she is so much bigger! Ella Mae is one sweetie pie, and I can't wait to see her, Kay and Keira really playing together, but hey babies need play dates too! This little girl is only 6 months old, and I swear she is gonna be walking in no time.

So our Friday night was fabulous. Gone with the wind fabulous...

*twirl*

The rest of my weekend was a little lazy. The weather was bad so we stayed inside playing. We dressed up as Minnie Mouse with a train conductor hat for good measure. "Choo Choo!"

I love lazy weekends. I hope you enjoyed your weekend as much as I did!

Chiropractor

Happy Friday blog land! I love Fridays! The hubby will be getting home soon and we have our weekends together. No work travel, no single parenting, no shenanigans...just good old family time. Tonight, we have some friends coming over for a play date and visit. Can't wait to see them!

Today, I visited the chiropractor for my second visit. Now, I have never, ever, ever been to a chiropractor. As a little girl, my mother would have to take me while she went for her visits and I was scarred for life as I watched a man in an old wood paneled room crack my mothers back and neck! I swore off chiropractic medicine for life! It was a scary sight.

After the birth of Keira, I have been trying to slowly but surely get back on the working out bandwagon. It seems like once I start making ground, I end up with an injury. My 32 year old body can't keep up with my young, Division 1 athlete mind. I will always see myself as this young, athlete capable of any workout or run I attempt. Too bad my body can't keep up. I have bad knees. And now, courtesy of my 32 year old, post baby body, I have a bad back. Trying to do too much to soon is my biggest downfall. Anyone with me?

After the gym one day, I started feeling shooting pain in my lower back and down my leg. My knee started killing me and I was so frustrated! So after a week or two of not being able to walk or bend over, I was desperate to feel better so I can get back in shape. Especially since, I will be returning to work soon. These work clothes aren't going to fit magically people. Anyway, I decided to try a chiropractor. I am so happy that I did!

The doctor is the sweetest woman, and visiting her office is like visiting the training room in my college lacrosse day - minus the pre-wrap headbands, red Rutgers sweatpants, and ten of my best friends laying around before practice with hangovers talking about exploits from the night before. The chiropractor uses a heating pad with stim on my back, ultrasound, stretching, and massage. It is like heaven. After two visits, my back pain has already subsided. My alignment was off, and this contributed to my back and knee pain. The way I carry my kids, carry the car seat, sleep... everything I do was contributing to my back pain... including having a weak core from not working out and giving birth! It is amazing how your body is all connected right down to your feet and arches. Anyone else have experience with chiropractic medicine? It is so NOT what I expected and I am so surprised and jacked!

Anyway, I am so excited. Nothing worse than feeling lousy, and I am looking forward to getting strong and fit again. Gotta be strong when you have a rapidly growing bundle of joy to lug around!

Speaking of ...

Have you ever seen such a cutie? Look at those eyelashes, those cheeks, those perfectly rosy lips. I could just eat her up. My little love.

Enjoy your weekend xoxo

Mommy Confession

I am excited to be linking up with Heather over at Cookies for Breakfast for a little confession. I confess... we have been watching A TON of some TV lately. My poor sweet toddler must be bored out of her mind the past few days. Mom of the year award over here. Since Keira was born, I have tried to carve out time every day for my Kay to do something special, something crafty, something active, something away from the tv. The past few days ... not so much... and I am feeling guilty about it.

With my efforts to put Keira on a schedule, I have only been letting her sleep during nap time. Do you know how exhausting it is to keep a baby awake and happy? It hasn't been hard just exhausting! So, while I have been doing this, Kay has been watching the umpteenth episode of "Mickey Minnie."

Wait, it gets worse... not only am I a bad mom and my kid is watching lots of tv, but I am making her watch it on the iPad because I am selfishly hogging the tv with daytime talk shows, old ass reruns of the  Kardashians and Sex and the City, and various cooking shows. Hey, what is a mom to do when holding a sweet baby, entertaining a sweet baby, and keeping that sweet baby awake?

I know, I know. I feel the shame.

So with this confession, I made the effort to change today. Today, we set out to make our very own Auntie Anne's pretzels. I got everything ready and I was excited. However, I must have forgotten that my water obsessed child really has no interest in baking or cooking, but will pour water from one container to another for over an hour.

 But hey, you know what... she was happy and she loved it.

"CHEESE"

 By the way, the pretzels didn't stand a chance! Ridiculous. I'll stick to baking cookies.

Before baking... not worth the picture after the baking