Favorite-Things-Phone-Dump Friday

Hey all!

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!  We sure did.  We hosted a great group of 14 people at our house.  It was potluck-style so there was a TON of delicious food and SO MANY DESSERTS.  It was great to have the space to have both of our families together (except Mari- we missed you!) at our house.  We ate, drank and were merry, and there were tons of people to keep our children entertained.  Bonus!

So I'll start with the Thanksgiving pictures.

Favorite Thing #1: The group: Great Grandma, Nana, Papa, Grandma, Pa, Boom,
Bops, Auntie Yoda, Craig, Uncle Dan, Auntie Cat, Bob, Barbara, and Jeanne!

Favorite Thing #2: The tables were festive, the desserts were numerous,
and the baby was adorable.

Favorite Thing #3: There were many activities to keep the preschooler (and baby) busy...
making decorations, playing cards, doing puzzles, napping, etc. 
And then after the meal during the dishes, our sink basically exploded. 
So Pa and Chris got to work on fixing that, with a little flashlight helper.

Favorite Thing #4: The girls got good Pa and Bops time.

Favorite Thing #5: And the food really was delicious.

So it was a wonderful day and we're so thankful for the many blessings that we have.

As for the rest of the week...here are pictures from Monday through Wednesday.

Favorite Thing #6: A short week, so more time with the girls!

And today, we spent the day at G-ma and G-pa's house with them and Auntie Cat.  Our project for the morning was a gingerbread house.  It turned out, well, see for yourself.

Favorite Thing #7: The process.  We didn't really follow the kit directions, so we
got Pa involved to trouble shoot.  We ended up wrapping it in twine and putting it
outside to get all the pieces to stick together.  And then the decorating...well...
Let's just say it isn't the most beautiful gingerbread house you ever saw.

Favorite Thing #8: Comparing ours to the one on the box.

The rest of the day was spent just relaxing and playing.

Favorite Thing #9: Big girls and new skills

Favorite Thing #10: My girls

Miss Maya appears to be back in a screamy phase.  At about 3am on Thursday morning I googled "fussy 4 month old" (so much screaming) and guess what? It is actually a thing.  The internets call it a "Wonder Week" or something like that (there are many "wonder weeks"), but this one happens when babies are between 18 and 20 weeks.  Maya will be 19 weeks on Tuesday.  This is the time when babies make a "mental leap" and start to really understand and explore the world around them.  They learn new and exciting skills.  But apparently, it can be too much for the little beings to handle and the only way they can cope is through FREAKING OUT more often, not eating very well, and being terrible sleepers.  Maya can check off all of those things on the list this week.  And more specifically for her, the night time screaming is back. 

Sigh.

We just need to remember that it is only a phase and she'll come out of it knowing how to do lots more cool stuff.  I hope.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!  Sleep extra for us, will you?

TBT Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving!  Our first throwback is of sweet baby faces.

And then we have a Thanksgiving themed throwback. 

Hope everyone has a wonderful day!

Parental Texts

Well, folks, this is my THOUSANDTH post!!!!  1,000!!!!  Crazy!!!!!!!!

Anyway.

Chris and I do most of our communication (when we're not together) via text.  Especially when one of us has both the girls and the other one is out.  I was looking through some of the texts today and thought that they'd be kind of funny...especially out of context. 

So here are a few that we have texted each other the past few days.  A couple with pictures, and others just random "status updates," if you will.  They aren't consecutive.  There are many more texts in between the ones I have shared that are far more boring, but these give you an idea of what we've been dealing with lately. 

**************************

Chris: Wow.  Epic potty fight.

**************************

Kati:

Rolled over this far herself. That darn shoulder just gets in the way.

**************************

Kati: Meltdown has commenced.  Fake crying and all.

**************************

Chris: This kid is unbelievable.

**************************

Chris:

 

 

Happy girls.  Neither are tired.

And then a minute later Callie bashed her chin into Maya's head and both are crying.

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Chris: Sleeping baby, one girl who has to go to the bathroom, and an annoying dog.

**************************

Kati: I think she might have nursed to sleep like a normal baby.
Chris: I DON'T believe it. 
Kati: I KNOW.

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Weekend Wrap-Up

Okay, folks, venting session ahead.

Patience is a virtue, right?  That's a good thing because our almost-4-year-old is making us REALLY work on the virtuous skill of patience.  She has been a button pusher and boundary tester and I think Chris and I can both say we're a tad emotionally exhausted.

When we ask her to do something or follow a direction, she ignores, defies, or does the exact opposite. Every. Single. Time.  EVERYSINGLETIME.  And every time she asks us to do something or for something, it is in a demanding or super whiny voice.

Bah.

So, while we did some fun things over the weekend, we also spent a lot of it wanting to pull our hair out in frustration over our spirited little girl and her apparent inability to listen.  Ever.

On Saturday we had TWO birthday parties back to back!  We headed out to a nature center for Calvin's 4th birthday first.  The kids went on a (chilly) nature walk, and then got to meet lots of little creatures- mice, snakes, lizards, turtles, etc.  Callie didn't mind touching the mice and turtles, but drew then line at the lizards and snakes.  I would have too!



Happy birthday Calvin!

Right after Calvin's party, we headed to Sydney's 3rd birthday princess party!  We ate pizza and watched the girls run around with big balloons and put stickers all over themselves.  Sydney's Cinderella cake was pretty awesome, too.



Happy Birthday Sydney!

Then we attempted to get a picture of all the girls at the party.  At first Sydney didn't want to join in, but then decided to.  As you can see, it is tricky getting a good picture of all of them.  Especially by the end (third picture down)- they were done.  And the paparazzi had to give up and take what we could get.



Sydney, Kara, Avery, Callie, Maya, Kylie

Once we were home, we did a baby bath and a photo shoot attempt.



Daddy calls me "Chub Chub."  It might be because
of my thighs.

Today it took about an hour to get Callie from the shower and actually dressed and out the door for church.  It wasn't pretty.  But Maya was happy to smile at me, so I felt the need to document it to remind myself that I can please at least one of the two these days.



Don't worry, be happy!

Despite some major attitude, we headed for our very fun Callie/Mommy/Aunties date- to the Children's Theater to see Cinderella! 

The coolest aunties around!

She looks so sweet here, doesn't she?

We all had a great time (minus the part when, as we were walking out, Callie realized I wasn't going to buy her a souvenir and screamed "NEW TOY" the entire walk to the car and halfway home).   The show was hilarious, and Callie clapped and cheered and seemed pretty enthralled. 

We then went to Auntie Cat's house for pizza, and Daddy and Maya joined us.



I took at least 5 pictures of them on the couch like this and Chris had the creepy
face in every one of them.  It was clearly planned.

Thanks to Auntie Cat for organizing a fun afternoon event! 

At home later, my baby just wanted to cuddle. 

It was a proper cuddle since her pinky was up.

It is a two-day week this week before a nice long weekend for Thanksgiving.  What a fast month it has been!

4-Months-Old!

Little Squish is 4 months old today!  I tried very hard to have a successful 4-month-old photo shoot but it took quite awhile to get anything even resembling a smile.

When I first propped her up on the couch to start taking pictures, guess who jumped in?

Thunder stealer

Once I got the older one out of the way, the younger one wasn't too friendly to the camera.

Nom nom

I don't even know how to caption this face

So then I decided to move her down to the ground on a boppy.  I got a couple which make 4-months-old look pretty serious.

I will NOT smile for you.

I'm SERIOUS.

And then the older one jumped in again, but at least she let the younger one show her face this time.

Thunder stealer, part II

And then the younger one just got mad, so in went the passy.

How do you like my post-bath hair?

After she settled down a little, I got the passy out, and she thought about things a little bit.

It's possible, I could smile for a second.  Take a few moments
to read about me below before I charm you with my sweet baby grin.

Facts about our sweet 4-month-old:
*She grips things and sucks on them.  Mostly the giraffe or her hands.  Or our fingers.
*She loves to drool but we haven't taken out our bibs yet, even though Callie was wearing bibs every day when she was this age. 
*Her favorite time to poop is in the morning for Daddy.  I love this fact.
*Her daytime independent naptime is getting better, but she definitely still prefers to sleep on people.
*Her nighttime sleeping has taken a nosedive.  A month ago she was waking up once a night and going right back to sleep.  Now she wakes up multiple times and often needs to be rocked back to sleep.  Stinker.
*She seems to be a creature of habit. One night when we were out late and didn't do her usual bedtime ritual, well...she made it known that she was very unhappy about that.
*She loves to talk and make noises.  It is awesome.


IMG 8195 from Baby Goose on Vimeo.

*She is still working on rolling over, but is so close.  Any day now!
*She is taking bottles like a champ. 
*Her smile will literally light up a room.  I dare you to NOT smile if she smiles at you...it is pretty impossible.

As the photo shoot was ending, though it wasn't her biggest smile ever, she obliged and I got a 4-month-old baby grin.

Cheese!

Favorite-Thing-Phone-Dump-FORTY-SEVEN-MONTHS-OLD Friday

First off, this crazy girl is ONE month away from being 48 months.  FOUR YEARS OLD.

How did this happen?  How is she almost FOUR?

Seriously.  I don't know. 

But anyway, this was definitely a better week than last week.  She still had her moments and her hissy fits, but nothing compared to the ones we dealt with a week ago. 

As for the pictures...

Favorite Thing #1: Hanging around home, getting a visit from Auntie Yoda and Craig,
out for dinner.

Favorite Thing #2: A Mommy/Callie dinner date

Favorite Thing #3: Pictures from G-ma and G-pa

Favorite Thing #4: Playing with Maya- still working on rolling over.  So close!

Favorite Thing #5: Coordinating with my team, NOT on purpose

Favorite Thing #6: Friday pictures

Favorite Thing #7: Wrestling event at school.
 Callie LOVED the theatrics of the wrestling match.

 We have a super fun and busy weekend ahead!  Have a great one!

TBT

Our throwbacks this week are kind of random.  I have found that most of the pictures that we have of Callie at this age are her being held by other people.  Most of the pictures I have of Maya now are either her with Callie, or her laying down.  I need do a better job of taking pictures when she's actually being held by someone!  Poor 2nd child, once again...

But I was able to find a few pictures that made good comparisons for TBT.

Playing in the big baby seat

Babies after their 4-month shots.

Passies!

Bumbo sitters

My Little Apple

It's no secret that my transition back to work has been hardest on Callie.

Her behavior has left much to be desired the past few weeks, but here's the thing:

This is true.  Minus the punching that seems to be going on here.

My husband would probably have no problem telling you that when it comes to our first child's stubborn gene, well, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.  The mommy tree in this case. 

The thing is...when she's not stubborn...she is the sweetest thing you've ever seen.

Tonight I took her out to dinner, just the two of us.  She shared with me the Bible verse she has been learning at preschool.  And my heart melted.


IMG 8102 from Baby Goose on Vimeo.

As frustrated as I can get with her, I'm very VERY thankful for her- my mini-me, my apple, my Punkin Pie.

4 Month Doctor Visit

Maya will be 4 months on Saturday but she had her 4 month check-up today.  I looked back at Callie's 4 month check-up and I may as well write the exact same thing for Maya.

She was happy and giggly with the nurse and doctor, and a champ during (and after) the shots.



Little Squish waiting patiently for the doc

Look at those thighs!

Brave girl after getting poked.

As for her stats, here they are (and how she compares to Callie at 4 months):

Weight: 15 pounds- 84th %ile (Callie: 14 pounds, 11 ounces- 79th %ile)
Height: 26 inches- 97th %ile (Callie: 25 inches- 81st %ile)
Head Circumference: 16.93 inches- 94th %ile (Callie: 16.93 inches- 94th %ile)

How crazy is it that they have the exact same head measurement at 4 months???

Thankfully, the rest of the day has gone much smoother than 2 months ago when she got her first round of shots.  She even dropped her evening nap and was a happy smiley baby until falling asleep quietly in my arms about 10 minutes ago.

I am beyond happy to be out of the "fourth trimester" with much MUCH less screaming.

Now we just need to work on napping independently...

Weekend Wrap-Up

Hey all!

Our weekend was pretty good.  We are still dealing with preschool tantrums, but I guess it has just became the way of life now.  We're used to it...unfortunately.  In any case, it doesn't seem to be throwing me for such a loop any more.  We've learned to just stay calm and rational at all costs, and EVENTUALLY (even if it is hours later), she will come down from her rage and be sweet again.

Anyway...Saturday was a pretty chill morning.  We hung out at home, did a little laundry, etc. 

 
Callie decided to "help" Maya with learning how to roll over.  I'm not sure how helpful she was, but Maya was totally fine with it, believe it or not.


IMG 7996 from Baby Goose on Vimeo.

Then, on Saturday afternoon/evening, Chris and I got some time away without the girls.  We went to a Gosselin family friend's wedding, and the girls stayed with Boom and Bops.  Callie even got to have a sleep over!  It was fun to have an excuse to get dressed up and have an adults-only evening.

Callie and Maya had fun too!

Today we had a lazy morning without the preschooler coming to knock on our door at 6:30am.  (Lucky for her, Boom was already up when she got up this morning, so she didn't have to wake anyone up!)  She and Chris went to Sunday school while Maya and I stayed home for napping.

Then we took a family trip to Once Upon a Child and got some great new (used) things for the girls- a baby seat, a play mat, and a bunch of toys for Callie's new sticker chart.

Yep, we started a sticker chart again.  I figured we need to do some more positive reinforcement to get back to where we have a child who is sweet more than she is sour.  So we'll see how it goes...

"New" play mat!

Our big activity for the afternoon was playing school.  It was awesome.  Callie doesn't really pay attention to me as Mommy, but TOTALLY listens to every word I say when I am me as teacher.  We did some math time, story time, snack time, and even had a few exercise lessons from "Coach Chris."

I even had "Laundry Sorting" as a school activity.  And sock matching.  It was amazing.

So...another week starts.  I'm hoping our sticker chart makes a positive difference in behavior this week. At least I found out that there was a full moon a couple nights ago, so that could have explained some of the crazy behavior. 

On a final (funny) note, our baby is starting to grow an epic feather of sorts on the back of her head.  And while the feather is growing like crazy, she has a bald ring underneath it.  I have had a hard time getting her to keep still long enough to take a picture, but you get sort of an idea of the stick-out-ness and bald spot with the fuzzy picture of her and her shadow.

Have a great week!