23 Months Old

How is my baby two years old?!?!  The fastest two years ever.  Seems just like yesterday she was born.  I know the older the kids get, I will blink and they will be graduating high school.

A little update on this peanut.

Stats:  22 lbs, no clue on length.  Our 2 year well-check is Thursday.  Clothes: 18 months - 2T (Tops and dresses), bottoms she can still wear 6-12 months, but mostly 12 months in shorts, 18 months in leggings.  Diaper size 4.  Teeth all but her two year molars.  

Sleep:  Wake-up between 6:30-7am, some mornings you'll sleep until closer to 7:30am.  Nap put down at 1pm, you play a bit before falling asleep and you'll sleep anywhere between 3-3:45pm.  I wake you by 3:45 to preserve bedtime if you are still sleeping.  Bedtime you go in your between 7-7:30pm and asleep between 8-8:30pm. Knock-on-wood your sleep continues to stay on track.  Your sister was up before the sun rise at this age.  So thankful for sleep training you.  I have no clue if you can nap on-the-go since you've been napping only in your crib for almost a year now.  

Eat:  Ahh, eating.  You are more of a snacker than sit down eating a meal.  You do enjoy eating pasta, sweet potatoes, sweet potato fries, Rice Kispies cereal, oatmeal, spinach, corn, hamburger.  You love snacking on popcorn, yogurt pops, goldfish, strawberries, pomegranate.  You are not a milk drinker.

Love:  You are dog obsessed!!  You go bananas when you see a pup and get so upset if you can't love on one.  You also love watching lizards, frogs and birds.  You definitely have a special place in your heart for animals.  You love swinging and sliding still.  You will stop at the drop of a hat to pick-up rocks.  You love watching your 'peppa' (the Kindle) like your sissy.  You are my music girl.  You love to sing along to nursery rhymes and to the song 'Let It Go'.  You shout 'Go' and it is the cutest.  You don't know your colors, except for blue, but you can point out different dog breeds.

Dislikes:  Staying confined in anything...car seat, shopping cart, high chair, booster seat, restaurant booth.  Definitely a challenge going out with you kid!  Brushing teeth.  I have to hold you down on the bed to get them somewhat clean.  We only bush them at night since it is such a challenge.

Speech:  You are a one word girl.  No combining words or talking in sentences.  You repeat each word, or at least try, that I say.  You understand every thing and will do what I ask.  Your time will come when you start actually talking.  You are like your sister in this department.  Her vocabulary exploded after starting preschool.  Hoping this will happen for you.  

Personality:  Wild, spunky, silly, performer. You make your 'silly eyes' what I call them when you look up with your eyes only.  You make us laugh so hard each time you make your 'silly eyes'.  

I love you so much sweet darling!!!  I can't wait to see what kind of mark you will make in this world.  

XXOO    

Mother's Day

Mother's Day was a good one this year.  Not that it hasn't been every year since becoming a Mom, but with the kids getting older, especially Vivian, it was extra special and felt so much love.

We skipped church this morning and went to my favorite place, Airlie Gardens.  Before heading that way, we stopped by Starbucks for a coffee for me, BK doesn't drink coffee, and cake pops for the girls.  We arrived just a little after 9am and stayed a couple of hours before heading home.  The girls love smelling the flowers, picking rocks, looking at the water.  I honestly could stay all day.  So much fun!  

We came home, had lunch, put Joanna down for her nap.  I did get a workout in then Vivian and I did water balloons.  Her favorite thing to do in the summer, yet my least favorite because of filling them and picking up all the pieces so Joanna doesn't eat them.  That kid puts anything that isn't food in her mouth.  She's a wild one I tell ya!

For dinner I got BK a pork chop and me a chicken kabob from Fresh Market.  Easy and simple.  The kids are more snackers right now, so they ate from the pantry.  

For my Mother's Day gift, I got a gift certificate to Coastal Massage for a 75 minute of absolute heaven.  By far the best massage I have ever had!!  Hot stones, hot oil, aroma therapy, amazing/relaxing music.  I could have stayed there happily all day long.  Of course, they gave me sweet cards.  Vivian's card has her 'special' writing which is scribble, but she knows what she wrote.  Such a sweet heart.  

Looking forward to many more Mother's Day with my girls!!  Love them so much even though they drove me bananas all day long.  

^^At the end of this path, there were four foxes sunning in the field.  JoJo thought they were dogs and wanted to chase after them LOL

First bath and week 2

We were not a fan of bath time!

Sisterly love.

Lots of lazy days.

Papa with his girls before driving back home to Mississippi.

1 Week Old

Sweet Joanna Grace, what a great first week we've had.  You are such the little cuddler and so darn kissable!  You are my olive skin, brown hair, dark-eyed beauty. I can't help but stare at you all day long.

Your days have been nothing but nursing, sleeping and pooping.  Never seen a kid poop so much!  You also pass a lot of gas as well :)  As of your Drs appointment this past Thursday, you are back to your birth weight.  I pray you continue to gain and that mommy is providing enough for you.  

You give little smiles while you sleep

You eat about every 1.5-3 hrs and going about 4 hrs at night.  Our first night home was a little rough because you woke up constantly.  I don't think you cared for the flatness of your pack n' play.  The second night I set the bassinet up and you have enjoyed sleeping that way.  You have a harder time going back to sleep when you wake between 12-2 am.  It can take over an hour, but that's okay.  I rock and sing to you while we look at one another eye-to-eye.  When you do wake around 4-6 am, you nurse and I bring you in the bed with us to get some extra sleep.  You really like being in the bed close to mommy, but we aren't co-sleeping little lady.

     
Your Nana and Papaw came for a visit on Thursday.  They thought you were beautiful!

You went on your first outing to Target on Saturday with me, Vivian, Memom and Papa.  You slept the entire time.

    
Your not a fan of the car seat until mommy gives you her pinky finger for you to suck on.  I tried giving you a paci, but you spit that right out.  Just like sissy.

Car ride home from the hospital

You enjoy being outside like Vivian.  If you become too fussy we'll take you outside to calm down.  You like listening to the birds and wind blowing through the trees.  If you hear a sound you'll turn towards the direction it's coming from.  

Gosh, can you get any sweeter!  I'm looking forward to spending a lifetime with you sweet girl.  I know you are going to shine in this world just like Vivian will.  Mommy and Daddy are so incredibly blessed that God chose us to be your parents.  We have two of the most beautiful girls in the whole entire world!!!

23 Months Old

Happy 23 months to this little hanging monkey!!!

Little girl, you are weighing around 23 pounds I guess and no change in clothes size as last month.  You have moved uo to a size 4 and sometimes a size 5 shoe, depending on brand. 

Bedtime is still 7 pm, but lately we've gone earlier because the past couple of weeks you've decided to wake before 5 am.  Mommy had to turn the monitor off so we don't hear you before 5 am.  You even woke up at 3:16 am one morning never going back to sleep!  You stood in your crib crying the majority of the time.  Mommy still didn't come after you until after 5.  You were exhausted.  I guess you know Joanna can arrive at any time now.  

We have moved to naps in our bed which is a huge step from driving in the car and then moving to the couch.  

You are one smart cookie.  You have picked up learning more of your colors...brown, black, white, grey.  Of course you know blue, purple, pink, orange, yellow, green, red.  You can also match your colors with your flash cards.  You also can count to 10.  For some reason you have trouble with number 1, but from 2 -10 you can say them.  You love saying, "thank you."  Such a sweet girl!

Two of my favorite things you say are:  when you don't want anyone following you, you put your arm and hand straight out and say, "keep back," dragging ot the word 'keep.' Then you take off running doing what ever and then run back to where we are and you do it again.  You also come up to one of us and say, "need hug" or "need kiss."  Melt mommies heart why don't you kid :)

You are afraid of the ocean, but love playing in the sand.  Mommy has to fill your sand buckets up with water so you can play.  I think you are more afraid of the waves than anything.  You do love playing in your little pool. You say, "I splish splash!"  You still love to swing at home and at the park.  You've also turned into the the little climber.  Amazing how you can pull yourself up on the bed.

You have become a better eater which makes mommy happy.  You still have days where you are picky, and other days you aren't.  You love fish and french fries.  You've gotten better about eating chicken and you love meatloaf.  For veggies you like cucumber, asparagus, roasted carrots.  You are also a carb and dessert girl like mommy.  Pasta, crackers, fig bars, chips and ice cream.  Your favorite fruit is apple and mandarins oranges.  You will officially drink plain cows milk.

You now have Memom here for the summer which makes you a very happy little girl.  Mommy has moved down from being your favorite person.  That's okay, because once Joanna is here, she will need more of mommies attention.

    

    We love you so much our popsicle eating, swinging monkey, cuddle bug little girl.  Hard to believe you'll turn 2 in a month!!!  Hug, hug, kiss, kiss sweet darling!