The things she says...

This afternoon Amelia looked out the window and saw a group of teenage girls gathering on the sidewalk in front of our house.
She opens the door and exclaims, "Look mama!  My friends are here!"
(Never mind the fact that we had never seen these girls before in our life.)
She then walks right up to them and joins their circle...she also joins their conversation.
Quickly, her entire body language morphed into that of a teenage girl...she had her hand on her hip and was smacking her lips as she was talking.
She began asking the girls random questions.
She asked the girl who had on short short and a sparkly tank top if she was wearing her baiting suit.  She asked the girl who was wearing pajamas if it was dark outside.
Best of all, she asked the birthday girl if she could have one of her balloons.  
At one point, she found a wrapper for a breast pad on the sidewalk (must have fell out when the trash man emptied our cans).  She picked it up and started shouting, "Look everyone, I have a boooobie pad, a boobie pad, a boobie pad!"
The teenage girls of course thought she was hilarious.

When the girls began saying goodbyes and parting ways, Amelia sauntered back into our house.....
complete with a gold star balloon tied to her wrist!

Slow down...

I need to find the magic button...you know the one...it stops time from passing...

This sweet boy is growing up way too fast!

Seems like just yesterday I found out I was pregnant.
Actually, it was just about a year ago, a little after Christmas.

Where does the time go?

Fast forward a year.

Soon we will have a four month old and a two and a half year old.

Please time....stop moving!

In only six short months, I will have two toddlers.  I will never be the mama of a newborn again.  This is very bittersweet for me.  On one hand, watching your child turn into a mini-person is simply amazing...on the other hand, watching your baby slowly slip away is heartbreaking.

I have been working on slowing down and savoring moments....and for those of you who know me, know that is extremely challenging.  The type A, add, hyperactive, multi-tasker in me can always find something that needs to be done.  A dish to be washed, clothes to be folded, a counter that needs wiping, closets to be organized.  It is in these times that I have to remind myself of time and how it is passing so quickly.   It is in these times that I have to pause...sit down with my babies, cuddle, read, just be.  Because that's more important than a clean counter.

Look how much this sweet boy has grown already.

He really does have quite the personality too!

At almost four months, Graham...

• loves to hear his own voice and talk to his reflection
• is a very happy baby
• loves being held
• will fall fast asleep as soon as he's put in the Ergo
• is mellow and easygoing
• almost always has a hand in his mouth
• loves to cuddle
• smiles BIG as soon as he hears his sister's voice
• likes to pull my plate towards him as I am trying to eat
• is a mama's boy
• is SO loved

Sick Days

Having two sick babies at home means major isolation for mama.  Amelia and Graham have been sick since Monday and other than one solo trip to the store and one family trip to the doctor, I haven't been out of the house at all.  I am usually out running one of my many errands.  Getting out of the house is a necessity for me.  It also helps Amelia who tends to get a bit stir crazy when cooped up at home for too long.

This week has been different. 

I hate having sick babies. 

It is heartbreaking to hear baby G coughing like someone who has smoked for a lifetime, coughing so hard that he makes himself puke. 

It is heartbreaking to watch usually spunky little A sleeping on the couch all day, waking up only to moan or cry. 

Heartbreaking.

Even Oliver was under the weather...

That being said, between coughs, moans, and cries, there is something strangely calming about staying home with sick kids.  

It's quiet...

It's peaceful...

It's cozy...

It feels good knowing my only responsibility is to stay home and make sure my kids get better.  There has been lots of medicine dispensing and runny nose wiping.  Most importantly, there has been lots and lots of relaxing and snuggling.  I may or may not have let both of them sleep in my bed when daddy was at work last night.  

Thankfully, both Amelia and Graham seem to be on the mend....although, I think we'll enjoy one more sick day at home just to make sure.

  

  

Just Can't Get Enough!

This boy can't get enough of his hands these days.


It starts off like this...a tad aggressive if you ask me..

Then things start to get a little crazy..

He gets really focused.  Need. To. Put. Fingers. In. Mouth. NOW!

Oops....Too far!

Bleh!

So he decides to start over....

He'll try a new approach...

 Ahhhhhhh, much better...

Finally, he checks to make sure I'm still standing there.

So he can show off his fist eating talents.

On Talking to Oliver...a lesson from Amelia

The other morning Amelia woke up and found Oliver enjoying a small bowl of cereal at the dining room table.  She thought it was really silly that he was sitting on the table eating cereal with a teeny tiny spoon.

I made our breakfast and brought it to the table so we could eat with Oliver.  As we were sitting down, I said..

"Good Morning, Oliver!  How are you today?"

Amelia looked at me and quickly said...

**Sigh**  " You know, he's not real Mommy."  

The look on her face was worth a thousand words....it was a mix of irritation and concern, not to mention disappointment. She seemed utterly shocked that I was nutty enough to be talking to a stuffed doll.  

But.....because she's only two years old, I quickly convinced her that mommies speak "Elf" and that we can talk to each other without her hearing. And again, because she's two, she totally bought it. Thank goodness because cell phone calls to Oliver have been priceless during not so nice Amelia moments!

Oh, and because Amelia is Amelia, she was upset with Oliver for using HER bowl and HER cup........