No pictures, Just words

Well we just came back from an amazing trip to California to visit our family. The kids were such awesome travelers. Caroline made friends with everyone on the plane, Luke flirted with every girl he saw and my mom and I got to spend time together which was really so awesome. I couldn't have been more proud of how they both were through the plane rides and the entire trip. We are really lucky and we're also really lucky to have family that lives in such an amazing place!

We did so many wonderful things while we were there and made so many terrific memories. We are all truly lucky and blessed!

So here are some updates on the kiddos:

All about Luke:

Luke is a happy happy boy. His smile lights up a room. He smiles the minute someone smiles at him and the best is when he smiles and buries his face in my shoulder/chest. He loves to snuggle and be held, but likes time to himself to stretch his legs, practice talking and looking at his hands.

He has a tooth coming through. Much earlier than his big sister. He loves chewing on Sophie the Giraffe more than anything and she's never too far away.

He giggles at his sister constantly...she's always making funny faces at him and he cracks up.

He weighs about 19 lbs...I started him on food b/c he was screaming during our meals and he's enormous and seemed ready. He's only had carrots so far, we're going super slow but so far so good.

He is sleeping through the night. 6:30 p.m. to 6 a.m. I did the Sleepeasy Solution with him and it worked magically. It was a modified cry it out method and I really feel like it helped me cope with the reality of something so harsh by allowing me to wean him at night and tend to him if I needed to in a subtle way. It took us 5 days....BUT shortly after he got sick and that was a nightmare. However, he is back on track doing so awesome.

He is wearing 9 and 12 month clothes....I've had to pack away so much stuff.

He's getting more hair..its fuzzy now. I can't wait to see how it grows in!

He likes to rub a blankie on his face when he falls asleep but I am scared to leave him with one. So I need to find one that works for that purpose....

I could kiss him all day...its a total love affair with this little boy. Everyone told me that little boys are heavenly...and he really is.

All about Caroline:

Well she's approaching 3 and that is so hard to believe. She's becoming so independent..its sad but also really great to see. When she gets to school she goes right in and briefly turns around to say good bye. All the while she is gaining this independence, she is also really attached to me and often looking for the assurance that mommy is still right there. She flip flops with Dave and I about 'mommy do it' "no, daddy do it"....usually its just the opposite parent! Her age is tough...she's been super sweet for the past few months and we got through the rough part of the '2's' but now we're nearing 3 and she's a handful in terms of personality. She's mouthy at times, talks back etc....and she's LOUD. Its tough to discipline when she blatantly ignores me but I'm trying my best.

She adores her brother and all babies in general.

She sings cute songs...and tells us knock knock jokes.

She asks me what everything is in the car as we drive along...tells me stories about her day and continues to amaze me with her memory. The kid doesn't forget a THING. Its really remarkable. I hope she puts it to good use some day.

She worries about things, I can tell that she unfortunately inherited that from her mommy. I analyze and think about something worrying me for days and days and she is totally the same way. If something is on her mind, its usually the first thing she will ask me about when she wakes up from her nap or in the morning...followed by "Where we gonna go Mommy?". Yeah, since I've been at home, she's constantly looking for entertainment! Fun.

We are having fun....I am so lucky to be home with them all the time and hopefully it pays off. I'm sure we watch too much t.v., or eat too much junk food, or make too many messes, but its the perfect balance for me and hopefully for them as well. I've been trying to let myself off the hook for not having a spotless house, or not being so organized that I can always be on the go and realize that the only standards I need to live up to are my own. I'm a messy mom, with a messy diaper bag, a messy car and a kitchen that looks like a bomb went off most days....I always want it to be cleaner and really I just want to be able to walk from one room to another without tripping on something...but I do realize that its probably more important to blow raspberries on my baby's tummy or change Caroline into a new tutu for the 30th time than it is to clean up the mess from breakfast...so it is what it is.

And now a few things about me and some of my random thoughts:

I am back and forth most days between, do I want to decorate this house, or move. Saving for a while sounds appealing but so does settling in our real 'home' where we'll stay for a long time....

My guilty pleasure is my soaps and online shopping. I order everything these days...its so much easier.

I am loving making movies in imovie on my mac and editing photos that I've taken of the kids.

I've lost my baby weight and I love being able to wear cute clothes...J Crew makes me never want to have another baby again. Jury is still out on that one....

I've been running a few times a week. Its a great stress reliever for me and makes me feel great!

I've started an old lady skin regime that I do every night. Its depressing but I already feel like I look better.

I don't drink enough water. I know I'm dehydrated and should drink more while I'm nursing but I hate it. I am just not thirsty for it!

I love baking and I want to do it every day. Caroline is the worst baker/helper. She makes the whole thing stressful. LOL.

New obsession is Manhattan Bagel's Autumn Roast Coffee. I've bought a million bags of it and dread the day its out of their stores.

I hate winter shoes and the dilemmas it causes me. Feet are cold in flats, Boots are alot of work. Sneakers are too mom-ish. See, stressful, right?!

I love cute jammies. I spend so much time in them, they should be cute right?

Which makes me think of how much I love anthropologie. Can I move in there?

My last thought...its 10:08. Way past my bed time. :)

xxoo, ME