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Daily Life

Picking Battles with a Toddler

Posted on February 19, 2018

On today’s episode of “Pick Your Battles”… Do you ever find yourself making rules, but only because you think those are supposed to be the rules? And then you realize it’s not something you even care about and you’re only doing it so you look good to other people?

Do you ever find yourself making rules, but only because you think those are supposed to be the rules?

When we left today, it was in the low 50s. We put everyone in pants and winter coats and didn’t bring K a change of clothes or shoes because we thought it was too cold for water play. We also told K this when we left. When we got to the aquarium, the outside area didn’t feel too bad. It was about 60, the sun was shining, the buildings were blocking the wind, and K wanted to take her shoes off. I still felt like it was a little too cold, but not frostbite-cold or hypothermia-cold. (In Michigan, these are the standards for cold.)

We thought it was too cold for water play.

I looked at Jason and he shrugged. Neither of us felt like this was an important battle to fight. It wasn’t a safety issue, it didn’t impede other people’s abilities to enjoy themselves, so we let her go for it. Fast forward 5 minutes… Now K wants to take her shirt off.

On one hand, we didn’t want the other parents to think we were hillbillies…

On one hand, we didn’t want the other parents to think we were hillbillies; on the other hand, a dry warm shirt to wear on the walk home makes way more sense on the windy bike path than a cold wet shirt… So again, we shrugged. In a couple years, society will dictate that she needs to wear a shirt anytime she wants to go out in public! Shirt AND shoes if she wants to go inside places.

How often do you get to be not-even-3 and run around shoeless and shirtless in public?

How often do you get to be not-even-3 and run around shoeless and shirtless in public? We may have gotten a few looks, but it was totally worth it. K had a blast, and Jason and I had enough patience left to battle “no standing in the stroller”, “no playing on the stairs”, ” no squeezing your sister’s face with your feet”… You know, all the good stuff. Sometimes the key to keeping your sanity is learning when to let it go.

Daily Life

Isabelle is 9 months

Posted on February 8, 2018

Happy 9 months Little Lady!! I cannot believe there is so much chill and yet so much fire in your tiny little body! With Katie we knew what we were getting into… She has been a firecracker from day 1 and when she got colic at 5 weeks, we knew it was paving the way for a spirited toddler.

I swear being in that harness put a chip on her shoulder!

But Isabelle was more deceiving. She started sucking her thumb the day she was born and was such an easy newborn! She was so laid back about getting her pavlik harness put on, and then the day it came off (for the first time in 8 weeks), she surprised us by rolling over. And she hasn’t stopped moving since! Jason laughs when I say this, but I swear being in that harness put a chip on her shoulder!

Diaper changes are like wrestling an alligator

Every day since then, we see a little more fire in her – but only about certain things! It’s either one extreme or the other and there is no in between with her. She still loves sucking her thumb, if we put a blanket over her carseat at naptime she’ll fall asleep, she doesn’t get upset when K takes toys from her or is rough with her… but then diaper changes are like wrestling an alligator, she squawks and shout-babbles at you if you eat in front of her and don’t share (which is sad and hilarious), and she is so desperate to walk!

Before she was born, I remember people saying how siblings can be so different.

Some days are rough (teething has been brutal with her – much harder than it was with K – and she only has 3 teeth so far) but she is such a joy to spend time with and I love watching her grow and become her own person. It’s funny because before she was born, I remember people saying how siblings can be so different.

And it’s scary when you only have one because you love them so much and can’t imagine wanting your next child to be different! But while Isabelle is her own person, she also has a little bit of all of us in her (and actually a lot more Katie than I expected – but hopefully not more than I can handle. Send wine?) Anyways, happy 9 months Missy. I love who you are becoming

Daily Life

Smiley Isabelle

Posted on February 2, 2018

I got my smiley girl back! I am in shock with how happy this kid has been since her tooth popped last weekend. I mean, I suppose it’s exactly how she was before. But you know when your kid is sick or teething and they become an entirely different child? And you start telling yourself it’s just a phase but then weeks go by and you start feeling crazy… Like, “what if it isn’t a phase? What if she got some sort of weird late colic (at almost 9 months.)

What if a switch flipped in her brain and this is her new personality? What if she’s like this forever and always screams when I set her down and wakes up all the time at night and cries and I’ll be at my breaking point for the rest of my life?!?!?!” I mean, this went on for over a month! Her gums were so swollen and she was so miserable and if I even set her down to pee she screamed the entire time! And now, it’s like a weight has been lifted. I can’t believe how night and day her behavior is. So I am just soaking up the smiles and coos and cuddles and enjoying thjs beautiful day with my happy baby girl!

Daily Life

Summiting Mount Hollywood

Posted on January 31, 2018

The face you make when you just summited your first mountain! Well, “mountain” … Every country has a different definition of what is considered a mountain, but Mount Hollywood is 1625 feet, is called MOUNT Hollywood, and has a vertical gain of 560 feet from where we started, I’m saying we can call it a mountain! (The internet agrees and if it’s on the internet, it has to be true right?)

Either way, I’m so incredibly proud of this little lady today. The fact that you walk a slope the whole way up and then back down after you summit was both good and bad for us. Good because once you get to the top it’s all downhill after, and also because if K said she wanted to stop it would be easy to turn around and go back (as if this kid would ever ask to stop ?.) The bad is that the way up is tough. It’s not incredibly steep, but it’s a continuous slope so it’s relentless, and K has little legs. It also means you have to really watch your step going down.

The view is 100% worth it though. I tried to leave several times and K kept crying and saying “I want to stay here forever.” I can relate! There’s something so special about reaching a summit and hanging out up there, taking in the view and appreciating the hard work it took to get there. You see things from a vantage point most of the world will never see.

I don’t know that K quite understands all of that yet, but she sure enjoyed the hike today (even though she was slightly disappointed there was no waterfall – apparently we need to talk about gravity soon.) Overall it was an incredible hike! My only regret is it was 80 degrees today and I let the kids have all the water! #momlife amirite?

Daily Life

Belles tries “Grandma Sauce!”

Posted on January 2, 2018

We had my grandparents over for dinner last night and my mom made Grandma’s special spaghetti sauce. Smelling it cook all day reminded me of the memories I have of going to my grandparents’ when I was a kid. We would pick raspberries from the raspberry bush in the backyard and help my grandma make cookies.

The raspberry bushes have since been dug out and my grandma is no longer able to live at home. It makes me sad that my kids will never experience my grandparents’ house the way I did, but I am grateful that they have 2 sets of their own grandparents to make memories with (along with 3 great grandparents and one great great grandma!) And, I am grateful we have traditions like making “Grandma sauce” that we can pass down to them . One of these days I’ll attempt to make a batch all on my own!