Sunny Days = Clothing optional

I love this pic of Addie behind the flowers
Addie and Daddy having fun planting
Looks like a pixie in my garden
And here is a cutie!

Mira, the loveliest baby of all

She sits quietly in the swing, baby carrier or on the floor, and patiently waits for her turn for attention.

How many babies grin because they know it is bedtime?!

She get's so excited when she hears the bathtub running, and kicks her feet once in the water.

She is so sweet, it makes life just that much better.

She loves her big sister, and when Addie looks at her or touches her, she smiles so big, your heart could melt.

She loves to have her hand played with while she nurses

When she gets a little disgruntled, I just have to tickle her feet or rock her and she either smiles or falls asleep.

I love this child!

Addie is Potty Trained!

Addie is now potty trained! It didn't take long once she realized she had control over bodily functions! She even wakes up in the middle of the night (not always) to use the toilet! We are pretty stoked about this accomplishment!

It is sort of bitter-sweet in a way, my baby is growing up.

The Ups and Downs of Toddlerhood

I had no idea it would be this challenging, My poor husband plugs his ears in disbelief that a child could behave in such a disruptive way. Sometimes I think, IS THIS NORMAL and then I am reminded when we make trips to the Children's Museum, and I see breakdowns all around, but when it is your own child, it seems 10 times worse! Just today, I dealt with having my face scratched off, and crying fits to pierce an eardrum, and told "I don't like mommy". When the tantrum gets going, it seems like it will never end.

But then, just like the famous Bjork song, "It's all so quiet", she settles down and her wail turns into a conversation about "Cranky the Crane". If you can learn to laugh at the insanity, and love the child no matter how emotionally unstable they can be, then you might just make it through the "dark ages"......

It must be so frustrating for her as well. She sees so many fun, and interesting things around her, she is constantly told No or what to do. Her mom and dad are always busy with this and that, and all she wants to do is have a good time, eat lots of M&M's and watch endless hours of movies.

There was one day I let her do whatever she wanted, all day, and this consisted of t.v for hours on end. I thought, today I don't want to hear even one meltdown. And it worked until bedtime. Then all the tantrums she would have had that day, were released at once. I realized it didn't matter, it is energy that must be released at some point, each day, until the dark ages are over, hopefully....

We love our children so much, that all of these trials and tribulations are completely worth the time and energy, and hopefully we will all grow to be better people in the end!