Daycare..............Here we go again

Bugger!!!!!!!!!!  Maternity leave is officially OVER!  Gosh, I wish I could have the best of both worlds......... a little adult work time and a little play time with my girls.  Unfortunately, reality has set in and wanting the best for your kids and yourself is what's most important.

It's been so much fun hanging with Stella these past couple of months.  It is so hard leaving her and going back to the work world, but I know it will get better.  I have to say that it has been a little easier the second time around.  But only and ONLY because I've done it before. 

A few quick photos of Stella's first day of daycare................They love her!!!  How could you not??

Stella - 2 Months

Weight: 12lbs, 3.2 oz (64%)
Height: 22 inches (25%)
Head circumference: 40 cm (89%)

Clothes: Anywhere from 3 to 6 months / 6 months
Diapers: Size 1 (only b/c my mom is so frugal that she refuses to put me in size 2 until she uses the rest of size 1.  Squeezing into size 1 by a smudge!  Put me in 2 mom!!!!

Eating: This child is still a beast!!!!!!  She is now a full time formula eating baby!  I just recently stopped nursing all together.  Between not being able to produce enough for her needs and it making me a little crazy - she is a happy, full baby.  She is eating 4 to 6 ounces every 3 to 4 hours.  But she sometimes goes longer.  It really just depends.  She generally eats 6 to 7 times a day.

Sleep: We are officially what you would consider at this age sleeping through the night.  She has been sleeping in either the rock and play or bassinet depending on her mood from about 10:00 at night to 5:30 a.m.  She has been amazing this past week!  I will officially be going back to work full time in ONE week - eeeeekkkkkk which means we will be transitioning into the crib full time this next week.  I of course will be getting no sleep b/c it scares me to death with her laying flat on her back.  The girl has the worst reflux and is constantly spitting up.  That's why most of the photos I post of her on Instagram or Facebook is her in a bib!  She lives in them!!! 

Crying:  Her little crying episodes have gotten better.  She usually has a major fit anywhere between 6:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. every night.  The doctor said that this period is usually because she is over stimulated and just doesn't know when to give in.  I don't mind it too much because usually Steve is home between 6:00 and 6:30 so he helps out when he gets home. 

Milestones: This past month she is smiling and cooing.  She is also doing great at holding her head up whether it be in the Bumbo or her bouncy swing that hangs in the doorway.  She hates tummy time and it usually ends in her puking all over the mat, herself and me (even though all I'm doing is supervising!!!)  On a different note, can I just say that I have been puked on more than I ever did with Lottie.  The girl loves throwing up on me!!  My nose has that constant "puke/spit up" smell dwelled in it!!!!!  Ugghhhhh, makes me want to vomit!

Sibling Love: OMG, I just could just die at how cute Lottie is with Stella.  Every day, she continues to tell her goodbye in the morning and that she loves her.  She also gives her multiple kisses throughout the day!  So cute.  The latest and greatest thing is when Lottie does "Patty Cake" and "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" with her.  She takes Stella's hands and rows them like a boat.  And when she sings "Merrily, Merrily, Merrily", I just want to melt!  However, I am constantly having to remind Lottie that Stella is fragile.  She is always patting her head, pulling her legs, poking her face and telling me to tell Stella to walk - ha!  Probably the worst part is how loud Lottie is when Stella is sleeping.  Lottie is really into JUMPING right now and pounces all over the house.  There is nothing worse than getting an infant down to sleep after hours on end and your toddler decides the house has suddenly become an inflatable bouncy house!  Steve and I want to strangle her!!!!  (Not really, but you get my drift!)  Other than that, all is good with the two of them.  Lottie is very loving.  The doctor told me that between 4 and 6 months, Stella would be really into Lottie and smile and laugh at everything she does.  He said that she would probably smile and laugh at her more than she does Steve and I. 

Likes: Being held, EATING, riding in the car, going on walks with mommy, taking a bath, putting her warm jammies on at the end of the day, swinging, Bumbo time and playing with sissy when she's not poking or prodding me.

Dislikes: Being hungry, pacifier (she still hasn't quite got the hang of it!), Lottie poking her in the face and pulling on her, sleeping or laying flat on her back, tummy time.

Sisters

An impromptu sleep over....................I have a feeling either Lottie is going to be kicking her sister out of her room or I am going to be finding the two of them every morning in the same bed some day. 

Can I just say how well Lottie has adjusted to her new bed?  It is her "place".  She begs to go to bed at night.  We lay a box of books beside her bed and she reads herself to sleep Sunday through Thursday.  On Friday and Saturday nights when she doesn't have to go to "school" the next day, she's allowed to watch a movie in bed.  So cute!!!  She's turned into such a great kid.  Just the best little girl!  We are really enjoying this age!  It is the best by far! 

 

She is soooooooooooooo independent, has to dress herself!  Note - her gown is inside out and backwards!

Smushing sissy and giving kisses!!

 

Stella - Make it stop Mommy!!!!!

July 4th

Per the norm, we headed to South Myrtle Beach to visit my sister for the holiday weekend / week.  In true fashion, we beached it up every day.  Steve had to work through the 3rd, so I loaded Stella and myself up and we headed to the beach on the 1st.  It rained all the way down there, but thankfully cleared up on Wednesday long enough for Stella and I to beach it up.  Since it was just the two of us, I camped out under the pier so I could put her under it for shade.  It was great because I had her in the shade and me in the sun.  She mostly slept and ate.  We made it about 4 hours that day before having to head out.  I'm teaching her to be a beach bum like her mama!! 

Steve and Lottie made it down on the 4th.  Instead of driving through traffic and rushing to get to the beach on the 3rd, they just got up really early and drove down that morning.  They got to the beach around 9:30 a.m.  Just enough time for me to get Lottie changed into her suit and ready to hit the beach.  She was sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo excited!  Lottie loves the beach.  I think more than anything, she associates the beach with my sister who she absolutely loves.  So, anytime we say BEACH, she starts shouting for my sister and begging us to go to Amy's house.  I swear we almost have to spell out BEACH if we are going to discuss it.  If she hears us, she starts going nuts, ready to see her aunt Amy. 

We had a great week!  4 glorious days on the beach with perfect weather!! 

 

She loves her aunt Amy!!!

 

Throwing shells and catching fish!!

 

As the days go on, she progressively gets more tired earlier and earlier in the day!  She still naps every day so beach or no beach, she needs her sleep!!  :)

 

Our set up at Amy's house when the other spare bedroom is taken.  Uncle Anthony's mom and dad and cousin were in town so the four of us all slept in the same room!  Note - Stella decided she was NOT going to sleep in the pack and play - she was going to sleep in her rock and play!  :) 

 

My sis and I having a kumbaya!!  :) And Scooby!

 

 

Annual fly over MB

 

Kee Kee and the girls!

 

Greatest invention ever!!  The Graco portable swing.  I bought it a couple of weeks ago at Kids to Kids consignment shop.  You literally put the car seat into the base of the swing and it vibrates, swings, plays music, etc.  It is wonderful!!

 

4th of July!!  The girls wore matching outfits - so cute (The Children's Place).  Even though getting the two of them to take a picture together sometimes is not exactly easy!!

 

Not amused by the thing that's on my head MOM!!!!!!!!!

 

Cupcake time.....

 

Lottie and McGoo - they stayed inside while Uncle Anthony shot off fireworks.  Lottie did NOT like the noise at all!  Maybe next year.....

 

Trying out sissy's glasses

 

Mommy and Mini Coop #2

 

Aunt Amy and Stella

 

Kid loves to snack!! 

 

Tweetsie Railroad

Steve has to work one Saturday every month.  I'm not a huge fan, but you have to do what you have to do right???  With that said, the following week he gets a day off during the week.  Three weeks ago, that day fell on a Thursday.  Steve sent me a text on that Tuesday afternoon asking if I wanted to get away for the day.  Of course I jumped at the opportunity.

So that was it, we set off to Boone, NC on Wednesday after he got off work.  We made great timing.  What an easy drive.  It is seriously only 1 hour 40 minutes from our side of town.  Once we were 10 or 15 minutes outside of town, Lottie was really able to see what "mountains" look like.  She loved it, called them rocks, mountains, you name it.  She kept saying she wanted, "MORE MOUNTAINS!!" 

Once we got to our hotel, Steve showered, we fed Stella and attempted to grab a bite to eat.  But by the time we were able to get out of the hotel, it was getting late.  We tried a couple of places but I have to say that mid-week, Boone was definitely not the most happening place to be unless you were kid free.  Basically that left us with very few options.  Pizza it was.  No worries though, I was absolutely beat!!  We grabbed a couple of bottles of wine and pizza and called it a night.  It was the first night the four of us spent in a hotel room.  The girls did great.  Lottie had a little impromptu pillow fight with Steve and I shared lots of cuddles with Stella. 

The next day we woke up to drizzle!  BOO!  But, we decided to carry on and take a little trip on over to Tweetsie Railroad to see what it was all about.  I had not been since I was a kid, so I was super excited to see what it was like as an adult. 

Thank God the kiddos were free because it cost Steve and I $37 each to get in.  Once we got in, we immediately jumped on the train.  It was so cute.  It ended up being around a 30 to 40 minute ride with stops in between to see the cowboys and Indians fight.  Lottie was a little scared at first, but she soon came around.  She loved it.  And Stella.............  well Stella snoozed her way through it.

For the first hour and a half, it rained like crazy!!!  It almost got to the point that we thought about leaving.  It wasn't just drizzling at that point, but full on monsoon.  Uggghhhh......... But sure enough, it finally stopped and we enjoyed at least 5 good hours of fun!!! 

It was the perfect age for someone like Lottie.  They had kiddy rides along with rides for kids a little older.  I highly recommend you taking your kiddos! They will love it.  We will definitely be back next year, if not one more time this year. 

Here is a little look back from our trip to Tweetsie Railroad in Boone, NC.

 

All aboard the train!!

 

Mommy and Stella

 

A little scared, but soon turned it around and loved it!

 

Such a cool experience!

 

Cowboys and Indians / SOOOOOOO cheesy, the best sort of awful acting!!!

 

Dad's in "time out"

 

 

 

 

I heart this pic!

 

Since it was mid week and rainy, she got to ride however many times she wanted - she rode this 3 times straight!

 

Stella ate and slept her through it!

 

 

 

Lottie and I wanted to take a pot belly pig home!  But Dad forbid it!!!  :)

 

Who knew...... goats eat ice cream cones!

 

Lottie's first school bus ride - she sang the wheels on the bus go round and round song all the way to the bottom of the hill / mountain!

 

 

 

What a great trip!  If you have kiddos, take them!  It is a really easy day trip!!!