The Elf on the Shelf

While there are many things about living with a 3 year old that drive me bonkers, Parker is SOOOOOO much fun right now! This is the first year that he is really getting into Christmas and it is so neat to see the holidays through his eyes.

Ryan, our Elf on the Shelf made his appearance into our home Friday night. I called him into the bathroom and pointed out that there was an elf in the bath tub and that he brought a book with him. We sat on the floor and we read the story, which explains all abou the Elf on the Shelf. He was sent by Santa and observes him during the day. Then at night he returns to the North Pole to report on how Parker was during the day. In the morning before Parker wakes, he returns to our house but in a different spot. No one can touch him because if we do he may lose his magic. And while he is under strict orders from Santa not to talk to Parker, Parker is encouraged to talk to him, as he will let Santa know what Parker wants. It is such a silly idea but for a 3 year old it is the coolest thing!!! Parker loves waking up to see where his elf is sitting.

Tonight we watched a video clip that Santa sent to Parker, complete with a picture from his birthday and our Omaha vacation. The first time Santa said his name the look on his face was priceless. I swear his little heart stopped in it's tracks. :)

Me and my little elf. :)

Parker LOVES Christmas!!!

Well, the holidays are here and I'm pretty sure I have never seen Parker soooo excited about anything in his whole entire life! We put the tree up yesterday and he was such a little spaz! He was starting to get annoying and I had to keep reminding myself about how exciting this kind of stuff is for a little kid haha. He doesn't easily take naps on the weekend anymore so I bribed him by telling him that if he took a nap, when he woke up there would be a present under the tree. Big mistake. He misunderstood....he thought if he took a nap, he could OPEN a present when he woke up. So the last 24 hours, he has asked if he can open a present about once every 15 minutes. :)

We went and saw Santa today, too! He was also very excited about that and stood patiently in line. When he sat on his lap he became shy and told Santa he wants a truck. When Santa asked if he wanted anything else, he said he wanted a car, too. (Little does Santa know that he was more than likely talking about a real truck, not a toy one). haha

Below are a couple of pictures of our family kicking off the holiday season. I'm sure we will have lots of fun stories to tell about Parker over the next month. :)
Merry Christmas!! :-)

13 months old - and Thanksgiving!!

Dear Camdyn,
In just a couple of days, you will be 13 months old. You are now a toddler! You have been a toddler for a month now, according to babycenter.com! :)

A lot has happened since I posted on your 11 month birthday. For one, you have taken your first steps!!! You took your first steps on Friday, October 14th and you are progressively getting better! You still prefer to crawl because it is faster but the last few days you are starting to become more confident. I LOVE watching you toddle around because I can tell how proud you are of yourself. You remind me of Bambi. Your stiff little body and your little arms sticking straight up in the air. It is the cutest thing ever! 

We had a great princess birthday party for you at our house. I was actually very sad about the whole thing. I just can't believe how fast your first year went. I feel like one day I was in the hospital with you and the next day you were sitting in your highchair eating your chocolate baby cake! :)

Yesterday was your second Thanksgiving. It was your first Thanksgiving that you actually enjoyed, though. Last year you slept through the entire holiday, snug in your carseat. You just got out for a couple of pictures, but you cried through them. Yesterday everyone was so happy to see you (and Parker, too, of course). You ate as much as I did, I swear! And you got to eat your very first piece of pumpkin pie, which Aunt Cassie made. :)

Now for your stats... :) You are still in size three diapers. You are wearing size 12 months but when I buy you clothes now, I have been buying 18 months because as much as you eat, I'm sure those 12 months clothes are going to be getting snug soon. :)

Below are a couple of pictures from Thanksgiving yesterday. I love you very very much Beanie!! Happy 13 month birthday!

Fall Family Pictures!

Yesterday we met up with Angie, our friend and Parker and Camdyn's babysitter for family pictures! It is really the first time we have had family pictures taken since Camdyn has been born (unless you count the ones we had taken when she was a week old).

I wanted to share... LOVE the fall colors, especially with their little ginger heads. :) This weekend was peak fall foliage photo weekend! :)

11 months....and a few days... :)

I can't believe my baby girl is 11 months old.....less than a month left in her first year. The time when she graduates from being a 'baby' and becomes a 'toddler.' :(

Camdyn is such a sweet little girl. She is quite needy and emotional but also very silly and loves to play. She absolutely loves Parker. I can't wait to watch them grow up together, they are going to be super close!

She has 1 tooth and a smidge of a second tooth (both bottom teeth). She said her first word (Mama) a couple of weeks ago. Since then she has begun saying Dada and can also repeat other words such as Uh oh, Mmmm mmm and ba. I'm actuallly quite surprised at how well she repeats words/sounds. I don't remember Parker being like that but I'm sure it is because she has him to learn from. Hopefully some of his naughtiness doesn't wear off, which I'm sure it will. :)

She is now drinking whole milk and eats like a little piggy. Breakfast is cereal and a banana and then lunch and dinner is pretty much anything we eat. The only thing she really doesn't like at this point is Velveeta Shells and Cheese which blows my mind! We also gave her plain wheat penne pasta this weekend but little Bean is already spoiled by the world of spices and sauce because she seemed bored with it. :)

She wears size 3 diapers and 12 months clothes.

I just cannot believe that we are a couple of weeks away from a Princess birthday party! I feel like I was JUST pregnant! :( We are going to Bloomsbury this weekend and it seems like just yesterday we were on the way back after the BEST time out there and I told Brian that next year we would have a baby almost big enough to walk out there with us.

Well, that's all for now! I will check back in a few weeks with a first birthday post!

YUMMY Chicken and Rice Casserole

I found this on the Paula Deen website and made it tonight. It was SOOOOO GOOD! I've come to realize that you really can't go wrong with a Paula Deen recipe. And the best part - this is a healthier version of the original!

You can find the recipe online here or view below. I added some pictures, too! :)

Bobby’s Lighter Chicken and Rice Casserole

By Bobby Deen

542 fewer calories

42g less fat

Ingredients:

1/2 pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 (8-ounce) package cremini mushrooms, sliced

1 onion, thinly sliced

1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed fat-free cream of mushroom soup

3/4 cup lowfat (1%) milk

2 cups cooked cubed chicken

1 (8.8-ounce) package cooked long grain and wild rice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup French fried onions

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 1 1/2-quart baking dish with nonstick spray.

Bring a large saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the beans; return to a boil and cook until just crisp-tender, 3 – 4 minutes. Drain.

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, onion, and bell pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 6 – 8 minutes.

Whisk together the soup and milk in a small bowl. Add the soup mixture to the mushroom mixture, stirring until the mixture comes to a boil. Remove from the heat. Stir in the beans, cooked chicken, rice, and salt. Spoon into the baking dish. Sprinkle the fried onions over the casserole and bake, uncovered, until the casserole is bubbly and the top is golden, 20 – 25 minutes.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Difficulty:  easy

Yield:  5 cups - 6 servings



I don't know why it won't rotate for me.... ;)



Per Serving (generous 3/4 cup): 261 Cal (31% from Fat, 27% from Protein, 41% from Carb); 18 g Protein; 9 g Tot Fat; 4 g Sat Fat; 2 g Mono Fat; 27 g Carb; 3 g Fiber; 5 g Sugar; 65 mg Calcium; 1 mg Iron; 778 mg Sodium; 37 mg Cholesterol

Even Camdyn loved it!

A conversation with Parker

On the way home today, I had a conversation with Parker that I just had to blog about. I wanted to make sure I don't forget. He is soooo funny and he is just growing way too fast.

The conversation started as we passed the Cedar Rapids Marriott. Whenever we drive by he always says that is where he works. I think this is because I used to work at the Rockwell building next door. Anyway, he told me that is where he works (as he does every time we drive by). There was construction in the parking lot and he told me that his work was dirty and we needed to have someone clean it up. (This, of course, tells me that he will someday aspire to be a manager). :)

Then I asked him what he does at his work and he told me he makes money (Fair enough).When I asked him what he needs money for, he said he needs it to buy Camdyn toys. Then he told me that Camdyn was going to come to his work. He said that she was going to crawl there and that he would carry her. All of this talk about work must have made him realize that he has no way of going to and from work so he informed me that he needs a car. I asked him what kind of car and his response? "A white one. A big white truck like Daddy's." I guess he does have a point, if he wants to have a job, he needs a car. Ah, the old chicken/egg situation. But how will he ever get a big white truck if he doesn't have a job? :)

The conversation was obviously funnier in person as we went back and forth. But it made me realize just how FAST this little boy is growing up. It seems like just yesterday he was toddling around sucking on those two middle fingers that used to be forever fastened to his mouth. Or that he was the little boy with the 'ba' cup hanging out of his teeth, terrified at the idea of Mommy bringing a baby to his house. I don't know where the last three and a half years have gone!

Slow Cooker A1 Swiss Steak

Here is a super yummy recipe that will easily help you make an old fashioned family meal in no time!

Toss 2 lb boneless chuck eye roast, cut into 1 inch pieces and 1/4 C A1 steak sauce in a slow cooker. Top with 1 sliced onion and 1 undrained can of diced tomatoes. Cook on low 9-10 hours or on high 4-5 hours. Mix 2 Tbsp flour and 1/4 water. Stir into meat mixture and cook covered an additional 5 minutes or until sauce has thickened. Serve with hot cooked egg noodles and a veggie!

Oh Parker.... :)

Well, it has been awhile since I have added some Parker quotes, so here we go!

1) "Mommy, I peed apple juice!"
2) Awhile later....."I didn't pee apple juice, I peed lemonade!"
3) Me: "Oh Parker...." Parker: "Oh Mommy....." (You had to hear his voice, it was funny, I promise). :)
4) "I don't want to go to Angie's, I want to go to the Farmer's Market!" (One random weekday morning). :)

Ok, when I'm put on the spot, I can't think of anything. I need to make a list!

9 months

9 months ago this mornig, I became the mommy to a beautiful baby girl. Today I took the day off to get her 9 month pictures taken and this afternoon she has her 9 month checkup. She was soooo good at her photo shoot, I can't wait to see the results (they will be online next week). Jill Maybanks from Jill Christine Photography is the best photographer in Cedar Rapids and she amazes us every time. I was sad to discuss the next session (we bought the baby bundle) because the next session will not be a baby photo shoot - it will be a big girl one year photo shoot complete with a little cake for her to dig into and everything. I also need to start thinking about a birthday party - invites will need to go out in like 6-8 weeks. It seems like just yesterday she was squirming in my stomach and I was soooo scared to take the full spotlight off of Parker. Now here we are with a baby who squirms all over the floor and loves to play and laugh! (Mostly with her big brother). :)

Dear Camdyn,
Today you are 9 months old. You are wearing 6-9/9 month clothes. You can even wear some size 12 month clothes. You shoe size is size 2 - although your size 2 adidas shoes are still kind of big on your tiny feet. :) You just graduated to size 3 diapers. Luckily Swaddlers Sensitive just started making sizes 3 and 4 otherwise you would be in Cruisers - which would make me sad!

You are still eating 2 8-oz bottles at daycare each day and breastfeeding when you are with me. You still have oatmeal and fruit for breakfast, baby food for lunch and some nights you eat stage 3 baby food (other nights you eat what we eat). I am so proud of the happy baby girl you have become. You are soooo happy and you love your mommy, daddy, and Parker very much. We still call you Bean/Beanie but Parker has started calling you Silly as well. He also likes to call you pretty girl. :)

You have brought so much happiness to our lives and we can't imagine life without you. We will be sad to celebrate your first birthday but we are very happy to watch you grow up and I can't wait to see what kind of little girl you will become. We will obviously be best friends. :)

We love you, Beanie! Happy 9 month birthday. :)

Camdyn - one week old!

Sleepy girl!

So pretty. :)

Chicken Club Pizza

http://www.kraftrecipes.com/ is always my favorite place to search for new recipes. I came across this recipe last night and made it for dinner. It will definitely be added to the rotation! :) Brian is a very picky eater (he would love to eat fried chicken and mashed potatoes every night) and he even loved it! I even took a picture before cutting into it for your viewing pleasure. :)

At the risk of looking lazy, I am just going to copy and paste the recipe exactly as it is listed. You can also find it at http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/chicken-club-pizza-123038.aspx.

What You Need

1 can (13.8 oz.) refrigerated pizza crust

1/4 cup  KRAFT Mayo with Olive Oil Reduced Fat Mayonnaise

1/2 cup KRAFT Ranch Dressing, divided

1-1/2 cups  KRAFT Shredded Triple Cheddar Cheese with a Touch of PHILADELPHIA, divided

1-1/2 cups finely chopped cooked chicken

8 slices  OSCAR MAYER Bacon, cooked, crumbled

1-1/2 cups finely shredded lettuce

1   tomato, finely chopped

Make It

HEAT oven to 400ºF.
UNROLL pizza dough on baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray; press into 15x10-inch rectangle. Bake 10 min.
MIX mayo and 1/3 cup dressing; spread onto crust. Top with half the cheese, chicken, remaining cheese and bacon.
BAKE 5 min. or until crust is deep golden brown and cheese is melted. Top with lettuce and tomatoes; drizzle with remaining dressing.

YUMMMMY!!!

Tuna Casserole

So I kind of feel like I have added/changed enough ingredients on this reciepe that I can call it my own creation. I wanted to share... :)

Ingredients:

·         1 can cream of mushroom soup (10.5 ounces), undiluted

·         1 can (approximately 15 ounces) peas, drained, or 1 1/2 cup cooked and drained frozen peas

·         1 jar (4 ounces) sliced pimiento

·         1/4 cup finely chopped onion

·         2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

·         2 cans (7 ounces each) tuna, drained and flaked

·         2 cups grated American cheese or mild Cheddar cheese

·         Small handful (enough for one serving) of spaghetti, cooked and drained

·         1 small can French-fried onion rings (I have also used crushed potato chips)

Preparation:

Combine soup, peas, pimiento, onion, and Worcestershire sauce; gently fold in tuna and shredded cheese. Once it is mixed well, add spaghetti. Transfer tuna casserole mixture to a 1 1/2-quart casserole. Arrange French fried onion rings on top. Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 20 minutes.

8 months

Dear Camdyn,
Tomorrow you will be 8 months old! I know I say this every day, but I just don't know where the time has gone! I feel like this has been the fastest 8 months of my life - even faster than Parker's first 8 months!

You continue to be the happiest baby and you make us proud every day. I love watching your little personality develop. I can already tell that you are going to be very happy-go-lucky but I think you will have a huge heart and be very sensitive. :) You absolutely love your big brother. I don't even know why I bother feeding you while he is around. You would much rather watch him run around and be a crazy man - and I think it is safe to say you are the best thing that has happened to him as well. ;) He refers to you as 'my baby' and sometimes gets mad if Mommy and Daddy are around you too much. haha.

You have eaten a couple of real meals that I have made and put in the magic bullet. Last night, for example, you had some tuna casserole! Otherwise, we are still making your fruits and veggies and you are still drinking breastmilk. You have also started eating crackers lately which you LOVE. I don't know how many graham crackers you would eat if I didn't cut you off. :)

You are still wearing size 2 diapers and are now wearing 9 month clothes.

I have been saying for the last month that you are going to crawl any day now! I wonder if you will be one of those babies who skips crawling all together. Sometimes I laugh when I watch you because you are like a little bug who can roll from one side of the room to another in like 2 seconds. You are sitting up very well and I think last night was officially your last night in the baby bath tub. You like to sit up and splash and there just isn't very much room in that tub for that. I think we will get Parker's old rubber ducky tub out and see how you like that!

We love you very much, Beanie!!!

1st vacation as a family of 4!

Two weeks ago (wow, that went by quick!) we bravely attempted our first vacation as a family of four. We really didn't know what to expect - 4+ hours in a car each way and two nights in a hotel with a 3 year old and a baby?!

We decided to go to Omaha. I went there with my family when I was in 6th grade (coincidentally the Omaha Zoo was my first vacation and it was the first time I had left the state as Iowa - something Camdyn and I can share)!

The drive there wasn't bad at all! Thankfully we had Curious George going in the backseat - I'm not sure how families traveled before constant internet access and portable TVs/DVD players. We arrived on Saturday afternoon and headed to the Omaha Children's Museum.

It was nice but I definitely think the Children's Museum in Coralville was way cooler. There was an optional exhibit (Dinosaurs of the Ice Age) that you could pay extra to go see. We literally spent about 15 seconds in there before we had to leave. The exhibit was too life-like for Parker's liking. :)

The next day we spent about 6 hours at the zoo - and didn't even see the entire thing! Parker had a blast and it was neat for us as adults as well. Camdyn just hung out in the stroller but she loved riding the train throughout the zoo. Speaking of the train - as I pulled her out of the stroller to board, I noticed her outfit was wet and it kind of made mine damp (assuming it was a wet diaper)...oh no. I had the opportunity to clean a blow-out diaper up on one of the train benches. Thankfully I didn't get caught by a zoo staffer - I'm sure she will love hearing that story once she gets older. :)

My favorite Parker story of the day was when we went to the building that had insects, snakes, etc in glass cases. Parker had no idea that there was a snake two inches away from his face as he pressed his face up against one of the glasses. I will never forget the little dance he did with squinted eyes and clenched hands as he screamed "I'm scared Mommy!" Another story for the teeenage years. :)

All in all we had the best time and I can't wait to take another trip with my little family! Brian said next year he gets to pick since I picked Chicago last year and Omaha this year. I'm hoping next year he trusts Parker and Camdyn enough for a plane ride, sandy beaches and the ocean. :)

Summer Summer Summer Summertiiiimmme!

Just a few pictures to celebrate the start of summer! Yay!!!

Caillou :-)

This picture is in a post below....but seriously, doesn't Parker look like Caillou in this picture??? hahaha

Why I do what I do...

So I'm having some mommy guilt....I need positive reinforcement!

Nothing in the world is better than being reunited with your babies after a long day at work....complete with happy little squeals and giant hugs!

If you died tomorrow, your role at work would be taken over by someone else. No one can ever take the place of a mommy. Ok, so this doesn't go in the direction that I want to go....but it is SO TRUE!

Being away from your kids during the day just makes you appreciate them that much more. Stay at home parents don't get to miss their babies all day long!

If I didn't work, my babies wouldn't get to take fun tripe (like our upcoming trip to the Omaha Zoo) and wear nice clothes. Ok, so maybe they don't care about their cool clothes but I do....and they will someday, too!

I think both of my kids will be shy like I was. When they are at daycare, they are learning how to make friends and share.

I need to get out of the house and be around adults.

I want my babies to be proud of me! (After all, Parker knows that where mommy works, they make airplanes. ;) Heck, he probably thinks I make airplanes). :-)

Ok, that helped....I may just need to come back and read this once in awhile... :)

Out of the mouth of Parker..

So I initially created this blog so I could keep track of all of the wacky things that come out of Parker's mouth. As I sit here tonight, here are a few of the off the wall things that have come out of his mouth... :)

1) Running out of the shower - naked: "Mommy, mommy, I have nipples!" He went on to say "And Daddy has nipples and Camdyn has nipples, too!"

2) On the nipple topic, he one day came up to me and said "Mommy, I have two nipples. One, two!"

3) "It's new!" - He refers to pretty much everything as new. :)

4) Me: "You used to live in Mommy's tummy." Parker: "Nooo, that scares me!" Me: "Where did you come from, then?" Parker: "My house!"

5) Me: "Are you a big boy?" Parker: "Yup!" Me: "Big boys don't wear diapers." Parker: "I DO!" - as he points to himself. :)

6) Pulling on his 'bangs'. "Mommy, hair too long!!" He likes his hair nice and short!

Oh Parker....he is such a silly little guy. I need to start writing this stuff down! :)

6 months!

Today is Camdyn's 6 month birthday! Wow, halfway to her birthday - which will, of course be pink princess themed. :)

I feel like it was just yesterday that I was sitting on the couch (I still remember exactly where), holding my pink Fossil watch, timing contractions while I watched Millionaire Matchmaker. There is no way that was 6 months ago!

She has changed so much over the last 6 months....and will change so much in the next 6! We are getting ready for a mobile baby. One who scoots, crawls, walks - and finally runs! Her little coos will soon mean something - I'm sure Mommy will be her first word. :)

As of today, (April 27th), she weighs 15 lb 1 oz (33rd percentile), is 26 1/8 inches long (65th percentile) and her head is 41 1/2 (24th percentile). Looks like she is on track to be tall and thin - like her big brother!

She is still breastfed but when she eats bottles at daycare she eats 7 ounces at a time. This week we started sending homemade veggies with her to daycare, too! Yesterday she had carrots, today she had green beans - which she doesn't like. :) We also eat a bit of cereal after work/daycare. Pretty soon we will be having three meals a day!

She still wears 3-6/6 month clothes and is in size 2 diapers.

She loves playing with rattles, playing on her tummy and laughing at her silly brother. She is seriously the happiest baby, she just has so much emotion!

We love her soooo much! :) <3

Super easy cookie recipe!

I wanted to share this peanut butter cookie recipe! Seriously the easiest recipe ever. Parker loved helping me make them tonight!

1 C Peanut Butter
1 C Sugar
1 egg

Preheat oven to 375. Mix all ingredients. Roll into small balls and roll on a plate of sugar. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet and press with a fork to make criss-cross design. Enjoy! Here is a picture! :)

My baby isn't a baby! :(

Today we celebrated Parker's third birthday. Sometimes it feels like he has been in our lives for 10 years. Other times I feel like we just brought him home with absolutely no clue what we were doing. I remember taking him in for his checkup a couple of days after we left the hospital. The nurse told us that we had done a good job with him the first couple of days we were home with him. I'm sure she tells everyone that....but I remember thinking that it was the greatest complement anyone had ever given me!

I feel like the infant stage just flew by. I hardly even remember him crawling around or waddling around on shaky little legs. I feel like 2 1/2 years of the three years he has been in our lives he has been at the exact stage he is at now. Time has gone by so quickly that it is just a blur.

That tiny little person in the other room has changed my life more than any other one person or thing ever has or ever will. He made me who I am today - a mommy. I would have never guessed it but being a mommy is what I am most proud of, what I am best at, and what I was put on this earth to do.

I love that little guy for so many reasons but a few off the top of my head are:
His giggle.
The way he says Mommy.
Watching him with Camdyn - he loves her more than anything.
Sitting back and watch things make sense in his head and watching him learn how the world around him works.
That crooked little smile.
The way his mouth turns upside down when he cries - just like it did when he was a baby!
That beautiful red head.
Seeing how happy he becomes when he gets to do something little that we take for granted - like going outside or getting ice cream.
The fact that he has made me a better person.
Watching him grow into such a sweet, caring little man.

Just a couple of pictures of Parker. Look at that tiny little guy!

I had to include this song as well. I downloaded this song when I was pregnant...it will always remind me of our little monkey. :)

Tired...and birthday countdown!

Well, today I feel like I have a newborn! Camdyn got up twice last night - once at 11pm and once at 2:30 again. I don't know how people do it when they have 'normal' babies who wake up past their second month! :)

I keep telling myself to enjoy it - even at 2am - because a year or so from now I am going to wish I had a tiny little bean to snuggle with all by myself in the middle of the night. :)

Tomorrow is our 'Friday' - woohoo! I took Thursday and Friday off. It is our tradition - each year I take off Parker's birthday and then a day or two so we can have a super long weekend together! I bought some cupcakes (I'm a bad working mom who doesn't have time to bake after work) and ice cream cups for Parker to take to daycare. :) Sadly enough, I had to leave the cupcakes in my car.....I don't trust the little rug rat. Even if I hide them, I know I would wake up at 5am and see him sitting in the middle of the kitchen with half of them eaten. :) I am going to make a cake for him on Thursday and then Saturday is the big fire truck birthday party at Playstation! I feel like this week he looks about 3 years older. Hard to believe 3 years ago I was at home freaking out because it was my last weekend of being able to do whatever I wanted. Yeah, I could do whatever I wanted....but what a boring life!

Such a beautiful life!

I just wanted to add some new pictures of my adorable little kiddos! How could you not love those faces?? :)

5 months

Dear Camdyn,

5 months. Wow, is that even possible? On Sunday, you will be 5 months old. My little Beanie Bear.

You are SUCH a happy girl. I am just in love with your personality. I think you will grow up to be a lot like me. You seem to be very emotional and sensitive. You are definitely not a baby who likes her own space. :) If it were up to you, you would be held all day long....by your mommy. I'm so glad we have formed such a special bond. I love seeing your eyes get big when you hear my voice, especially when we have been apart, even if we were only apart for a couple of hours while you nap. I love watching your neck crank all the way around when you hear your big brother. I'm sure he annoys the heck out of you but I am even more sure that you already love him like crazy.

You are just getting to the point where I don't have to feed you every 2 hours. It is more like every 3 or 4. However, when you are at daycare you only eat 2 bottles all day long (7.5 oz each). Why 7.5? Because I went a little crazy freezing 5 ounce bags of milk (I should have known you would only eat 5 ounces for a few weeks) so we have to defrost 3 5oz bags at a time). :) Right now you are wearing size 1 diapers, although the next time I buy you more I will buy you size 2. Depending on the brand, you are wearing either size 3-6 months or 6 months.

You have changed our lives in so many ways and you will never know exactly how much we love you. I am so excited to watch you grow into the sweet little girl that I know you will be.

I love you Beanie!!!!

Chicken Enchiladas recipe!

Here is a YUMMY recipe! I just made it tonight! My friend Jenna made it for me after we had Parker! :)

Saute 2 T butter
1 Cup chopped onion
1/2 Cup green pepper

In same pan, blend
1/4 Cup flour
1/2 or more enchilada sauce mix (comes in a envelope)
2 1/2 Cups chicken broth

Cook and stir the mixture until thick and bubbly.
Remove from heat and add
1 C sour cream
1 C shredded Monterey Jack Cheese (I accidntally bough the Mexican blend this time and it worked well).
4 oz can of chopped green chili peppers

Take half of the mixture and add 2 C chopped chicken (I just use the kind that comes in a can).
Stir

Put a little of the remaining sauce without chicken in the bottom of a 9x13 pan.

Take 12 6 inch tortillas and place about 1/3 C of the mixture in each one and roll up.

Pour the remaining sauce over the top and sprinkle about 1/2 C of the Monterey Jack cheese on top.

Bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until bubbly.

Here is a picture. It's not the best quality (I took it with my camera phone) but this is what it looks like! :)

It won't be like this for long...

Today I stayed home with Camdyn, as she was 'banned' from daycare. :) (She was sent home yesterday with a fever; she couldn't go back until she is fever free for 24 hours). I'm happy to report that the day and a half at home sure did seem to do wonders for her! She is hardly coughing at all and her runny nose is really starting to clear up!

I took Parker to day care around 9am so Camdyn could just relax, otherwise I knew he would be pestering her all day. :) Today made me sad, though, because we had our normal maternity leave schedule. Ellen at 9, The View at 10, a nap, and then the Doctors at 2pm, Dr. Phil at 3pm. I - of course - fit in a session on the elliptical as well! I sure wasn't going to let the extra time go wasted!

It made me think that Sunday will mean a couple of things. First of all - the most exciting part - Camdyn will be 5 months old already! How is that even possible? Sometimes it seems like she has been here for years, other days I feel like I was just walking into work with my flowy maternity dresses, feeling those little knees move around inside my belly! Sunday also marks 2 months that I have been back at work. This DOES NOT seem possible, as I feel like I have been back for 2 years! :)

It is crazy to think that in a month Camdyn will be halfway to her first birthday. As the newborn days seem more and more like a distant memory, it makes me soooo sad! But I think I am also really becoming comfortable with the idea of being done with babies. Partly because I already have two perfect ones (I'm already 2 for 2 and I'm happy with that :) ) and partly because our little family of 4 just feels right. Yeah, we have a boy and a girl and they won't necessarily love playing together at each stage of their childhood, but I think they are going to be VERY close. Parker can't get enough of his little sister and with each day it seems like she loves her big brother more and more. :)

I wanted to post this video, too. I feel like this song is forever in my head.....totally describes our life right now! :)

Ready for a vacation.....don't mind if I do! (In 3 months....)

I sure do hope someone is reading these posts....because I feel like I have to post something every day! I'm sure the novelty will wear off soon.... :)

Well, last week Parker had ear infection followed by pink eye. Today I took Camdyn to the doctor and found out she has RSV. It was weird because the doctor was like, eh, she might have it, if you want to have her tested you can, but we won't do anything with the information, it would just be so you know. Umm, ok, I guess since we are here we might as well find out?

So after about 30 minutes of entertaining her in the tiny patient room, we got the news. Yup, RSV. Anything they can do about it? Nope. I sure am ready for summer....we have had more sickness in the last couple of weeks than I think we had in the last year. Seriously.

Speaking of summer, I blocked an entire week on my calendar! June 13-17 = vacation!!! Woohoo! I can't wait! I think our plan is to head to the Omaha Zoo for a couple of days and then the rest of the time will just be a 'staycation.' Take the kiddos to the pool....and I guess I'm not sure what else! Don't worry, there are tons of things to do during the summer in CR, so I am sure we will come across something!

Who wants to change a diaper???

If you ever wonder what my weekends are like..... :)

How can someone so little be so scary?!

Another Monday in the books...almost.

Today on the way home from work our sitter called and she said that Camdyn had been throwing up for the last half hour. Then when I got there, she started again. Not just spit up, like full on puking. It scared the crap out of me. I didn't know if I should sit there until she felt better (afraid she would choke on puke in the car), if I should speed home to get her into warm, dry clothes. I felt like such a rookie mom, even though I have been a mom for nearly 3 years, and almost 1.5 years worth of first years are under my belt!

Luckily, I think she just had a upset tummy. She seems fine tonight. She ate like a champ and played with Parker (she even yanked his 'ba' out of his hands a couple of times). It makes me wonder if these little people ever stop scaring the crap out of us! If that tiny bit of puke scared me, what am I going to be like the first time one of them breaks a bone, needs stitches, or gets behind the wheel of a car!?

Here are a couple of new pictures that I uploaded last night. I don't know how we ever lucked out......we have some pretty attractive offspring. :) Now I just need to figure out how to keep them this size forever! :)

Life aint always beautiful....

We had a great day yesterday! Parker, Camdyn and I headed back to Toledo to see "Meema." :) As I headed back, I realized that I hadn't been home since the day after Christmas (which was my sister's birthday). Although it will always be "home" I feel like it feels less like a home to me....a home is where a mom and dad live. :(

Being an adult/mommy while going through my parents divorce has made me reflect on a few things:

• There are some things - that no matter how hard we try - we will never understand.
• I have felt feelings that I pray my babies never feel.
• I will never make my kids feel that anyone or anything is more important than they are.
• No matter how well you think you know someone, you never truly know them until you see them go through a divorce.
• Playing dirty just isn't worth it.
• Some things are better left unsaid; you can't take back your words, no matter how badly you want to.
• Actions speak louder than words.
• We don't have to support our family's actions, but sometimes it is better to just accept them.
• At the end of the day, my job is to worry about what goes on under my own roof.

You can speculate about what/who has lead me to draw some of these specific conclusions. Maybe you are right....maybe you are not.

As spring approaches, I am very excited to get outside with my own kids. I'm excited to make memories at the pool, parades, summer family vacation, and much more! Although the last few months have been difficult, I do have so many memories that no one can ever take away from me.

Life ain't always beautiful....but it's a beautiful ride.. :)

What we've been up to....

SO, I decided that I would actually write a real post since I have this site looking semi-cool. :)

So you may ask "What exactly is it like having a full time job (50+ hours a week), a partially trained husband, a toddler and an infant?" Hmmm, do you really have to ask? :)

Things have been insane lately!

Parker is just a couple of weeks awa from turning 3. How is it that our baby is almost 3??? It makes me sad that we can have real conversation with him these days. He can understand us and we can understand him. I guess that is what happens when your 'baby' turns 3. I can't even bear to think about how much of a little boy he will be a year from now. The other night he kept sneaking out of his room because he didn't want to sleep. He would say, "But mommy, it's loud in my room." We went back and forth for awhile and then it occured to me that he is finally old enough for me to debate about bed time with him!

Speaking of growing too fast, Camdyn is approaching the five month mark! A couple of nights ago we gave her oatmeal for the very first time. It went pretty well. About half of it slid out of her mouth and the she gobbled the other half off of her spoon. Pink and purple bib, purple spoon and purple bowl. Of course we had to be mindful of what we used. These items are going to be in pictures for years to come! If she follows Parker's lead, she will also be crawling in a couple of months. That seriously does NOT seem possible! But you can tell she is already thinking about it. The other night she was on her stomach, pushing up on her knees, digging her little face into the ground. :)

The pictures that I am adding are not necessarily the greatest (they are from my camera phone) but at least it gives you an idea of what the tiny little faces I am greeted by each morning look like these days. :)