Sand and Sun

I wasn't sure I was going to like this bright place that Dada and Mommy were taking me. They called it the beach. They put me inside this big blue thing and even had my toys. I saw that my brother was having a fun time and realized it wasn't that bad. Dad even put my feet in this soft weird feeling stuff he called sand and let me play with it. I would grab it but it was hard to hang on to...it kept falling through my fingers. But I loved playing with it. I even tried eating it but Dada and Mommy got it out of my mouth so fast it startled me...and it didn't taste very good...so I didn't try eating it again. After awhile Mommy and I left...I was getting hungry and I had sand everywhere! Can't wait till next time.

I can sit up, roll over, and I love my cereal

My little girl is 6 months already. It's going by fast right now probably because we are running after two not just one! My first 6 months with Zackary went very slow for me but with him being fussy it was harder. Emeline is a very content baby. She's in the 91% for height and weight (18.5 pounds) and she has a small head in the 4%. Her doctor is making us go to a specialist about it-great. But Zackary and Ben have small heads too so I know it's genetic. She loves to sit up and explore anything and everything. In her saucers she is moving, pushing, grabbing EVERYTHING. I just sat there the other day and watched her and it was fascinating to see all she could do. I caught her with this bath toy crab in her mouth...she just left it there and kept playing-to funny. I try putting different textures and loud things in front of her so she can feel and explore and she does it well.

We have started solids with her. A week of rice cereal, now a week of oat cereal and then we are going to go onto sweet potatoes and carrots. She loves her cereal though. She opens her mouth wide and even sometimes slurps it off the spoon. And she really isn't that messy...neither was Zackary. I love feeding her cause I know SHE loves it!!!


Ok so she is 100% in love with her Dada! When he comes into the room she lights up and kicks her legs. Even if he's been holding her and he hands her to me...she just stares at him and gets so excited when he smiles or talks to her. Daddy's girl all the way!!! And Zackary is a total Mommy's boy! I love it! And I know Ben does too!


So we were still holding her for her naps up till about a week ago. I could tell that her people were thinking it was time to let her nap in her crib. I didn't want to let go...I wanted to keep holding her for her naps. She sleeps about 1.5-2 hours in your arms and 30min in the crib. But we did it...and now she's taking 3 30min naps a day and goes to bed at 5...and sleeps until 6 or 7. This picture is one of her last naps on mommy. Look how precious she is. Melts my heart. Right when we started nap training she started not breastfeeding well. So it was hard to kind of go through both of those things at the same time. But I enlisted my lactation consultant I had for Zackary and after talking about it I felt renewed and now she's feeding better. She still hasn't had any formula.

She rolls really good from her back to her stomach but I have only seen her roll twice the other way. She is scooting with our help...and loves loves loves her jumper swing. She's so inquisitive about every button, every color...it's so fascinating to watch. You are so cute!!!

Her laughter is contagious too. We have games we play and noises I make so she'll laugh.
She loves her baths...the second I set her in I can almost see her go..."ahhhhhh." She is enthralled by Bentley. She watches every move he makes and likes to feel his fur. He's really good with both kids...pretty much stays away but if they try to pet him he just stands there. I am so grateful for his sweet nature.
Zackary provides endless entertainment for her too...but so does Mickey. I didn't let Zackary watch TV until he was 2 but it is so hard now that he watches certain shows in the morning to not let her. I do my best.

We are having so much fun watching you grow, change and learn. You are sweet, so sweet...and easy going. Thank you Lord! I will tell you this constantly, you complete our family...you are such a blessing every day.

Zackary update

Zackary is 23 months old. I can not believe how fast he is growing up. Most importantly he is so in love with his sister. He helps me changer her, feed her, wake her up from her naps, take her on walks, play with her, and gives her the cutest hugs and kisses. She watches his every move too and smiles at him when he's being silly. Watching their relationship grow and unfold in front of my eyes as the days go by is so surreal. I am so grateful that they have each other. I definitely have made it a point to not sweat the small stuff and enjoy each silly, sandy, sloppy, smelly and sweaty moment!

Ben set up his drums in the garage (all but the symbols) and he showed Zackary how to play them. It's too loud if Dad is playing them but okay for Zackary too...he has fun! He's going to take after his Dad and play the neighbors into year round vacations away from our house!

Zackary opted to relax with my Dad and I on the front pouch instead of taking Bentley on a walk with Ben and Kathi. So funny. He actually relaxed. He laid down for awhile and got some sun and then sat at the table with us reading a pottery barn magazine. Cracks me up.

Some things Zackary is doing:
-Speaking so much more. His sentences are long his commentary is hysterical. He says "ohhhhhh," "oh my gosh," "I am gassy mommy," "I hurt my finger AGAIN...laughing," and so much more.
-He is still a solid sleeper at night and for his nap (7:30pm-6:30am and 11:45-2 sometimes 3).
-He is a great eater-takes his vitamins for me but we call it his treat and he calls it his "O drink." -He also has to have 3 chocolate covered raisins for dessert each night...we don't give him them if he doesn't eat well...and I use dark chocolate (makes me feel a bit better about the sugar!). He loves turkey meatballs from Trader Joes, hummus, plain yogurt, bananas, quesadillas, chicken, ketchup, green beans, tuna, pizza, and burgers...and so much more.
-We are in the process of potty training. He is doing well. We put underwear on (no pull-ups unless we are at soccer or something). He pees easily (gets one chocolate chip and a little present each time- I am running out of presents) but the pooping...well that's a bit harder.
-We start preschool in September so we have to be fully potty trained.
-The biggy- NO MORE PACIFIERS. and it actually went well. He barely cried and I know his teeth and jaw are thanking me. There was just no good time after Emme was born to take them away...especially with his regression he went through. But when she turned 6 months..well that was my deadline. I knew it was time and the dentist and I agreed on when Emme turns 6 months.
-I love his sillyness...laughter, smiles, the best hugger, his love, and watching him with my mom and dad is really precious too. He just loves them! I am so happy that my mom and him have a special relationship. She teaches him a lot, constantly and he eats it up. She has him counting into his 30s...tonight on the toilet he counted to 25 by himself.
-He sings his ABC's, knows shapes, colors, and sings a lot of songs (but puts in his own words).
-He is getting better with loud unexpected noises. We have been going to the beach and he goes to soccer too and those are helping with all the kids, noises and mayhem that he was feeling uncomfortable with after Emeline was born.
-He loves balls, water fountains, reading his books, toy cars, fire trucks and playing in the sand.

Honey, Dad and I are loving every moment we spend with you. You teach us just as much as we teach you. We will protect you, who you are and who you become. And look forward to all our future memories together. You are such a sweet boy, and really smart!!! We love you.

I love My Dada

Love Much

"Oh My Gosh"

Wanted to update the latest in the life of Zackary. He continues to fill our hearts everyday with love and laughter. Especially now watching him with Emeline...it's precious. He really does love her and he helps with whatever he can from giving her a bottle to being right there every step of the way in changing her diaper, waking her up and giving me quiet alone time while she naps still in my arms. He wipes her drool, gives her pacifier back to her and really is an outstanding big brother. He is asking to hold her more and more, and is reacting as much when she cries. He is seeing that in his day to day life he still gets so much love and attention from us while still giving Emeline her love too.

We have taken out all of Zackary's old saucers and toys from storage and put them together. He cracked me up the other day when he wanted to get in his saucer and play like Emeline does now. I told him he was to big but he didn't believe me...so he saw for himself! LOL

And he had to check out Emeline's crib as well to make sure it was comfortable for her...it passed! Don't they just break your heart.
Some fun things Zackary is doing now...
He's talking so much more...and has funny sayings like, "Oh My Gosh" if he sees something he wants and he says please for everything which makes it really hard to say no..."Mommy please come in!" with exaggeration...
He is eating like a champ (quesadillas, chicken, turkey meatballs, anything with cheese in it, tofu dogs, pizza, burgers, veges, all fruits minus avocado and kiwi now, and his new favorite are chocolate covered raisins which he calls black raisins).
He is sleeping 10-12 hours at night (6:30-6:30) and a 2 hour nap from 12-2 during the day.
He's asking more and more to go pee pee in the pody-way more aware lately of his bowels which is a good sign.
He is still infatuated with balls, pine cones, cars, water and strawberries.
New infatuations: bees, buses, street sweeper and worms.
He loves to watch sports with Ben but he calls "white ball"-golf "orange ball" -basketball and he says baseball. At night with dinner he wants to listen to "daddy and mommy musica." He speaks Spanish sometimes! Favorite song of ours he sings-Bryan Adams-Summer of 69.-so funny.
If I turned on the Toni Awards for him he would love every minute with all the dancing and music.
Favorite book right now is I Think I Can-the train book.
Horrible-he's still using his pacifier...and he's in love with it and his burp cloth. In agreeance with his dentist we are waiting for this difficult adjusting to Emme time is over and then it's bye bye paci.
Still regressing some from Emme's birth with loud noises and when other children are around but he's getting better.
I will update again at his 3rd birthday in 3 months!

Mommy Turns 35

Grandma taught Zackary to say, "Happy Birthday Mommy." He was saying it all day and it was the best sound...next to, "I love you Mommy."

My Birthday wish was all about you buddy...for your health, safety, strength, growth, happiness, and peace.

Um-as you can see he LOVED the cake...one lick after another after already eating his own piece!