LIFE LATELY

Our family has been through so much change the last couple of years.  These last few months of settling into our new home and adjusting to life as a family of four have been a much needed change of pace.  After a new career for me, moving four times in three years, building a house, and bringing home baby number 2, I am welcoming a year of smooth sailing and boring weekends.

 

We got a letter in Everly's cubby at daycare that her preschool orientation is next week.  We have a supply list and everything! My mind immediately flashed forward to imaging her starting kindergarten in a couple years.  I almost made myself cry thinking about it for too long. #momlife

 Although preschool hasn't officially started, they went ahead and moved her over early.  She is loving all the new things she is learning.  We have a long list of goals she's supposed to hit once she turns three.  We practice often at home.  She knows her days of the week and months of the year.  She knows everyone in her family's full name, her city and state.  She knows all her colors and most shapes.  It has been a pleasant surprise seeing how much she enjoys learning.  I try to download different apps on my phone that quiz her on various preschool level things.  She loves puzzles, matching games and seek and finds.  It is too freaking cute watching the wheels turn in her head as she studies everything. 

 

She's getting to be so tall and growing so fast.  I'm anxious to see what her stats are at her check up next month.  We had a rough couple of months of her challenging our authority.  It felt like we were constantly battling her for power and always fighting.  I was beginning to get terrified of the next year because I had several friends tell us three is worse than two.  And I didn't think we could survive another year of it.  But actually things have really calmed down the last few weeks.  She's been (mostly) sweet and listening well.  She is a big help with her baby sister and does a decent job of helping pick up around the house.  Bedtime hasn't been as big of a deal either, praise the Lord.  I'm hoping our taste of the terrible two's is over and fingers crossed maybe three will be better than two for us! Every kid is different, right? (A mom can dream)

 

 

Her birthday is less than a month away and we are in full party planning mode.  Some decorations were delivered to our house the other day and she asked if I was going to "sing happy birfday for me?" I can't decide which one of us is most excited about her party.  I plan on keeping it much more low key this year than the past two years.  It'll just be a small get together at our house for all her preschool classmates.  But that also means Daddy has three weeks to get the yard in tip top shape! We have a lot of work to do before we host a house full of three year olds.

 

Everly now sleeps in her bed all night more often than not.  But she is still inconsistent.  When you ask her why she comes into our room at night her response is, "I don't know" or "I want my daddy to sleep with me."  But overall I'd say Chad and I are pretty well rested these days.  She wakes up much earlier now that she's sleeping in her bed.  I guess it's a trade off I'll take for a full night's sleep.  She'll come into our room around 6:30 and ask to get in bed with us while she plays on my phone.

 Baby Addison is almost FIVE months old.  I can't believe it.  Everyone says she looks just like her daddy.  She may have his looks, but she's such a sweet baby, which I'll take credit for.  Although she doesn't laugh nearly as much as her sister did, she smiles all the time.  She loves to talk and squeal.  Chad especially loves when she screeches for attention.  It will make your ears ring if you ignore her long enough.  She doesn't like to sit still or lay by herself for long.  She wants to be up moving around with the rest of us.  I guess I can't blame her.

 
 She rolled over from front to back for us a couple weeks ago.  You would think baby #2's milestones wouldn't be as exciting as the first time around, but nope they are JUST as fun.  And she's SO close to rolling over from back to front.  In another month we'll be sitting up by ourselves and eating food.  I hate how fast the first year goes by.  I am trying hard to soak in all of her baby goodness.

 Everly is still crazy about her.  And Addison thinks her big sister is hilarious.  I love watching the two of them interact.  It is the sweetest thing ever.  I can't wait to watch their relationship blossom as Addison grows. 

 

Unfortunately, the poor thing seems to be heading down a similar path her sister did during her check ups.  At four months old baby girl has already had three ear infections.  Lord help us.  If you have any suggestions to avoid these, I am ALL EARS.  After three sets of tubes for Everly, the last thing I want is another surgery bill for these things.  We pay close attention to making sure she's sitting up and her head is well elevated when she eats.  We have switched her to a soy formula.  HELP US! But apart from that, she is growing and meeting all her milestones perfectly.  She is a perfect, beautiful, happy baby girl.

Chad and I? We're just working and raising babies.  There's not much new going on with us, which I am perfectly okay with.  I am so proud of the family and the life we have built.  It's nice to just live in the moment and enjoy the fruits of our labor.