52:15 Your First Week of Daycare

I Want to Remember 

Your First Week of Daycare
I want to remember your first week of daycare. I can't actually believe I am saying that! But you did amazing. You slept like a champ, drank full bottles every 3 hours and you even giggled a lot for Carol on day one. You are such a blessing and sweet baby - Carol says so too! I know you are in such safe hands with her and having Anniston there to watch over you too, somehow calms my heart a little more. I wish I could be home with you longer, but since I cannot, I am so blessed to have you in Carol's caring hands. 

So Much for Sleeping
I know I talk about sleep a lot. But man, has it been seriously lacking! Now that I am back at work, I think Amelia is missing me - at least that is what I have to tell myself anyways. She is no longer sleeping through the night. She is waking multiple times to eat, to coo, and to play. I swear she is more alert at 2:00am than she is a 4:00pm when I get home from work. Her big eyes just stare up at me like she is ready for a new day and ready for play.  I am tempted to just swaddled her again for one night of full sleep, but I don't think she would like that very much. So for now, I am just hoping that it is short lived and I am just reminding myself to enjoy every extra minute I can with this little one.

52:14 Going to the Zoo

I Want to Remember

Going to the Zoo

I want to remember going to the zoo. We went on the perfect day! We met your Auntie Jennifer, Mykah, Madi and Tobin. You were so happy and kept giving us smiles all day. You love laying in your stroller and looking up at the fun pattern. We even let you play in the splashpad for a little bit. Watching you take in the World is such an amazing experience. You seem in awe of it all. And I, am simply in awe of you Amelia Grace. 

52:13 Sleeping Without a Swaddle

I Want to Remember

Sleeping Without a Swaddle

I want to remember having you sleep without being swaddled. I am certain that this week was more an accomplishment for me, than it was you! See, I have this love/hate relationships with swaddle sacks. They work well. Way too well. They had both my babies sleeping through the night by 3 weeks. But, they are a hard habit to break down the road. And any mother that has done that transition knows what I am talking about. But lately, you've been seeming to fight the swaddle in the middle of the night. I would hear you rustling in your crib and look at you to see that you managed to have your little fist escape from the swaddle sack. So I thought I would see how you did without that little restraint. And, to my happy surprise, you slept just as well! I will admit, I had you sleeping in a swaddle transition called a Zippadee-Zip, so your hands still can't scratch your face. So technically, you're not fully free. But you seem very peaceful and content with your arms up at night.  Thank you Millie Grace. Thank you for being my carefree, easy-going girl. 

No Sleep for this Momma

So, like I stated before, Millie is sleeping through the night. Me on the other hand, not so much! My days are so busy, that I really never have time to sit down and just...think. Therefore, when I get in bed at night. I just lay there and think of EVERYTHING. 

I think about how I have to go back to work soon. 

I think about meals I need to make for the week. 

I think about when I should work out. 

I think about how I am never working out.

I think about my future students.  

I think about Anniston going to school. 

I think about how messy my house is.

I think about when I should clean the house. 

I think about projects I want to make. 

I think about triple checking to make sure the doors are locked. 

I think about transitioning Anniston to her big girl bed. 

I think about waking up to pump so I have more milk. 

I think about crap. 

Lots and lots of unnecessary crap. 

It's not normal.

Or maybe it is.  

Maybe this is part of being a mom. Worrying, thinking, planning and organizing all of the time. 

So much for beauty sleep....

52:12 Three Months Old

I Want to Remember

Check Out Anniston's Project 52:12 by Clicking Here
Anniston went on her first flight that week!

52:11 Discovering Your Hands

I Want to Remember

Discovering Your Hands

I want to remember you discovering your hands. You are such a happy baby and are easily soothed by being held, a song, a paci and now your hands. Your hands are your greatest toy and mommy's new life saver. Whenever you start to stir or seem restless, I simply touch your hands together and it's like you're discovering them again for the first time. You suck on them, try to find your thumb, and just rub them together. We are working on having you grab at toys. Anniston loves playing this game with you. But now, when you grab ahold of a toy to explore it, she doesn't understand why you won't share it back with her! So while you continue to discover your hands, Anniston is discovering that she needs to have some patience with you while you learn to share. 

Discovering Patience

To any two year old, patience is a foreign word. We have taught it to her and she even uses the phrase correctly. And she often tells Amelia to be patient. But a toddler actually practicing patience is a whole other expectation. Unfortunately for Anniston, I am expecting her to be patient a lot now. 

"Anniston I am feeding Amelia. Can you be patient."

"Anniston I am trying to get supper ready. Can you be patient?"

"Anniston I have to change Amelia's diaper. Can you be patient?"

"Anniston I have to get Amelia to sleep first. Can you be patient?" 

So it happened. The other day, while I was nursing Amelia, Anniston asked if she could go "play bubbles," I kept asking her to be patient while I finished. Then, she scowled at me, threw her entire body on the ground and yelled. 

"No! I don't wanna be patient!"

I wouldn't want to be patient anymore either. For the past two years, Anniston hasn't really had to practice being patient, because she was really our only focus. Don't get me wrong. She still gets lots of snuggles, lots of stories, lots of play time and lots of songs be sung. But now, she is expected to wait for things to be handed to her. She has to share our time. She has to wait for her food. She has to wait to go play outside. Practicing patience is a wonderful skill. I know that. But it just really isn't easy at all to practice patience. Especially when you just turned two. 

52:10 Matching Babies

I want to Remember

Matching Babies
I want to remember dressing you up together. There is something nostalgic about putting you in the same clothes that your big sister wore just a short time prior. As a little girl I remember dressing up with Auntie Angela in our matching Easter dresses and hats and proudly parading around because I looked like my big sister. I hope that you enjoy matching with your big sister as much as I do. I might enjoy it a bit too much! Anniston always giggles and comments when you're in the same clothes. When she saw you wearing your lil sis shirt she said "Mom Melia has ABCs and I have ABCs." She's so smart and it's scary how much she is taking in already! 
As for now, I will enjoy these simple little things. Because I know you won't be crazy about the idea of matching forever. But for now, it's absolutely adorable. And deep down, I think you both love it as much as I do! 

Living Life with Two Babes

Well...yes. Life is busy. It is beautiful, and tiresome and blessed. But also just busy. I am fortunate that my babies sleep when it's time to sleep at night. But during the day, it really is nonstop movement, energy and activities. 
I look back now, and I remember watching other people stroll around with their double strollers at the malls or parks and thought how overwhelming that seems. Well, now I am THAT mom. I am constantly trying to go to toddler activities during the day - park, library, pools, play dates, story time, gymnastics, etc. - to keep Anniston entertained. Yet at the same time I am always watching the clock to make sure that we don't cross over into Amelia's feeding time, Anniston's nap time, or lunch breaks. And also making sure the car is equipped with all the necessities - diapers, extra outfits, strollers, ergos carriers, my purse and snacks.  Seriously, mom's deserve A LOT of credit! We are constantly planning, organizing and on the go. Since when was I old enough to care for two babies!? Since when did I know how to take care of two babies at the same time? 

But...We are surviving. Thankfully. We are busy. But we are surviving. 

52:9 Amelia's Baptism

I Want to Remember 

Your Baptism 
You were baptized this weekend. It was a beautiful day and you were such an angel the entire weekend. We had a lot of family come up to show how much they love you. We felt so blessed because Father Tim was able to baptize you and he married your daddy and I almost 4 years ago today. I feel so comforted knowing that you are not only being loved by our hands, but by the hands of your loving family and God. 
God is Good. All the Time. 
All the Time. God is Good. 

Check Out Anniston's Project 52:9 by Clicking Here

Anniston's Birthday Party!

Oh TWO-dles!

Seriously, I had way too much fun getting ready for this party! I didn't do nearly as much decorating as I did for Anniston's 1st birthday, but it was still so adorable! Can I please just plan parties the rest of my life?!

We knew the weather was going to be hot, so we just set up a few water activites and let the kiddos slide and play all day! I even created a HUGE water blob that you see all over pinterest nowadays. I added red dye, so the water was pink, canisters of glitter, foam letters and balls and we filled it up with water for 27 minutes. And then...it started leaking. So we covered it up with duct tape. And then it started leaking from the other side. So we covered it again. All in all...we used an entire roll of duct tape, just to watch that poor blob slowly deflate. Epic Pinterest Fail.

But we still had the slip in slide, the water sprinkler ball and the kiddo pool and 2 trampolines!! So the kiddos were all exhausted by the end of the day and our bellies were full from the taco in a bag bar! Here's a few pictures...who am I kidding...here are A LOT of pictures from the Minnie Mouse Oh-2-dles party!!

52:8 Two Months Old

I Want to Remember

Check Out Anniston's Project 52:8 by Clicking Here
We had lots of fun video posts of Anniston that week!

52:7 Your First Fourth of July

I Want to Remember  

Your First 4th of July

I want to remember your first 4th of July. The 4th of July just happens to be one of my favorite holidays - beautiful weather, parades, road races, festive attire and fabulous fireworks. Your daddy even proposed to me with fireworks knowing I loved them so much! This week was extra special because your big sister turned 2! So we got to see a lot of friends and family and so many people met you for the first time at our many get togethers. You were such a great baby - so observant and calm. You spent a lot of this week outside and you loved it! You always smile when the breeze hits you, yet scowl at me when the bright sun hits your eyes. But as long as the sun is keeping you warm, you seem as cool as a cucumber. Love you little firecracker!

Check Out Anniston's Project 52:7 by Clicking Here