home sweet home

We're home!  It was great.  So, so exhausting, but great.  Rachel had the time of her life, and watching her in awe of it all was priceless.

Here are just a couple of pictures.  I'll work on a recap/photo post in the next few days, but they always take awhile to put together. 

I missed Rebecca like crazy, but every time I saw a mother carrying a baby around Disney World (and there were LOTS of them!) I was so thankful that I didn't have to worry about her.  It would've made things so much harder.  I smothered her in hugs and kisses today, though.

The next several days will be spent napping, unpacking, doing laundry, resting my very tired feet, and napping some more.  Rachel took over a three hour nap today (I had to wake her up!)--she is one tired (but happy) girl!

here we go!

In four more days, we're off to "the happiest place on earth."

I don't know about that, but I do know one little girl who's awfully excited to go there. 

It's a terribly busy week this week, so I'm not going to have another chance to post before we leave, and we won't have internet access while we're there, so you'll have to wait until after we're back to hear all about it.  I'm sure there'll be plenty to say!

I'll miss my baby girl so, so much, but I'm also thankful I don't have to worry about taking care of her while we're out and about all day every day down there, and that I can focus just on Rachel for a few days.  She needs the undivided attention from me that so often has to go to Rebecca. 

I'll write more after we get back.  Here's hoping for NO RAIN!

Alice the Camel

A couple of days ago we were in the toy department.  Rachel loves the displays of the Schleich animals and always stops to look at them.

On this particular day, she pulled out a camel and said, "Mommy, look at the dromedary!"

Huh????  Where in the world did my four year old daughter learn that word?

it's winter again...

Too bad the spring temps didn't stick around for longer than a few days, but we sure enjoyed them while they lasted, and they'll help us get through until they actually come around for good.

It's back to more playing inside, but these two don't seem to mind too much!

Actually, since we'll be in Florida in 8 days, I don't mind too much, either--as long as we have good weather in Florida!

outside!

The last two days have been 60 degrees.  SIXTY DEGREES!  In FEBRUARY!  So we've done a lot of this:

Rebecca loves it, but doesn't like it when I stop pushing her.  She grunts and fusses until we move again.

Rachel was bound and determined to catch a bug in her bug cage yesterday.  I tried to tell her it's a little too early for bugs, but she didn't want to hear it.  She didn't find any.

We walked around the block today and ran into neighbors.  Rachel and her friends ran and played for quite awhile while the moms chatted and Rebecca fussed because we weren't moving. 

Oh, how I love it being warm enough to be outside!

family fun

It's been a rough few weeks around here, especially for my husband, so Saturday he decided that we needed to get out and do something fun as a family to get our minds off of things.  We went to the local science museum.  We actually ended up buying a membership to the museum so we'll be back plenty in the next year!  Both girls had a great time. 

Rachel loved all of the fun hands on exhibits and especially the little kids space.

Rebecca loved sitting up in the stroller for the first time (instead of in her infant carrier) and getting out a couple of times to play--especially the water table.

Both girls were happy and well behaved the whole time, which helped to make it a fun, family day.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Free digital greeting made with Smilebox

16 and counting

I actually took this picture when there were 17 days left until our big trip, but today there are only 16 days left.  She's SO excited and tells everyone she comes into contact with that she's going to Disney World!

The first thing she wants to do is ride Dumbo.  Then the spinning teacups (Lord, help me....my husband's already told her he won't go on it, due to motion sickness, so I have to do it, and I get motion sickness, too!).  The verdict is still out about which princess dress she's going to wear to breakfast with the princesses at the castle.  We're also having dinner with the princesses at Epcot, and she wants to take a separate dress for that (you know....wouldn't want the princesses to see you in the same dress twice!).  I told her it would depend on how much room we have in the suitcases. 

And here's how Rebecca feels about not getting to go on the trip.

a cute mess

(Can you see her teeth?)

some random pictures

The superbowl halftime show is on, and I really don't care about it, so I decided it was time to update the blog.

I don't think I've mentioned that for Christmas my husband gave me the gift of a photography class.  I've been taking the class for the last several weeks, and though it's been rather overwhelming, I'm enjoying getting out of the house and I am learning a thing or two and taking more pictures. 

Unfortunately, in this batch, I had it on the wrong setting.  They're still cute, if you can ignore the blurriness in some of them!

This past weekend the class met at the local conservatory.  I took a TON of pictures, but here are just a few.

And here are a few from my mom's birthday celebration at my brother's house this weekend.

Enjoy! (Oh, and I realize that Rachel is missing from most of these pictures.  Unfortunately, I do my best picture taking when she is at school or playing up in her room, since she is rather distracting, so Rebecca is my subject much more frequently.  Hopefully this week I can get some of Rachel--it's my last week of the class!)

an apple a day...

...doesn't keep the doctor away, at least in this family.  Rachel eats either an apple or applesauce almost every day, and Rebecca eats her fair share of applesauce, too, but we've still been getting to know the people at our pediatrician's office quite well in the last two weeks.

Two weeks ago Rebecca had an appointment to get her second flu shot, and to recheck her ears from the ear infection she had right after Christmas (so I was there with both girls just after Christmas).  Her ears were fine and she got the shot (and barely cried!).  That night when I changed her diaper, I noticed hives on her tummy.  I had a terrible case of hives about 10 years ago, which affected my breathing and they gave me an epipen just in case my airway started to swell dangerously, so I was very, very worried about Rebecca experiencing the same thing.  After thinking and trying to trace back any new foods or other changes, I determined that the only things that could've caused the hives were 1) ibuprofen (I didn't have any tylenol to give her after the shot, so I gave her ibuprofen for the first time), 2) something from the flu shot (even though she had already had the first flu shot in November and it didn't seem to bother her), or 3) a dryer sheet, which I had used in her laundry for the first time.

I called the doctor's office the next day, after a restless night for me, worrying about her (she slept just fine!), and the nurse said to bring her in.  They actually went away mid-morning, so I called back, and she said to keep the appointment just in case they came back, because hives tend to do that.  Sure enough, they did come back, so I was glad we kept the appointment.  The doctor didn't seem to think the ibuprofen or the dryer sheet would cause that reaction, and she suspected an egg allergy (eggs are in the flu shot).  So she told me not to give her anything with eggs in it, and when she's close to a year old she'll have her tested for an egg allergy.  In the meantime, she said the hives could come and go for a week, which they did. 

So yesterday we were BACK at the pediatrician, this time for Rachel.  She had been crying the night before, uncomfortable with what sounded to me like a UTI.  So after school yesterday we went back to the doctor.  And of course, she couldn't put anything in the cup when they tried to get her to go.  I gave her three glasses of water.  Tried again.  Still nothing.  They gave her a popsicle.  Still nothing. (Do you know how frustrating it is to sit with a cup under your four year old's bottom, time and time again, waiting for her to go potty????  Ahhhhhh!  Thankfully Rebecca was being an angel, or it REALLY could've been bad!)  They finally did an exam and sent us home with a cup, telling me to bring it back after she went.  So BACK to the doctor we went AGAIN later yesterday afternoon!  The test was negative.  It's not a UTI.  They told me to have her soak in the tub.  She's feeling better, she says, but the symptoms come and go. 

Sooooo....we're becoming well acquainted with the people at the office.  They're very nice, but I'd really prefer not to spend my days there!!

In other news:
-Rebecca's first tooth finally made an appearance yesterday!  It's been close for quite awhile, but just under the surface.  It's not out very far, but we'll take what we can get!  The other bottom tooth isn't far behind.

-Rachel insisted this morning on making her valentines for her friends at school.  I told her we could pick some out at the store...princess ones or whatever other kind she chose, but no, she insisted that she wanted to make them herself.  I finally convinced her to use blank cards I had instead of just printer paper, which is what she wanted to use.  I know her classmates won't appreciate the time and thought she put into them, because they certainly look like a four year old made them (though she did do a nice job coloring the hearts we printed and cut out).  She is definitely a lover of anything crafty!

-Rachel is thrilled that it's February today.  We've been crossing days off of the calendar until our Disney World trip, and we finally made it to the month of the trip.  26 more days to go.  She can't wait!  She's definitely never been more aware of the months than she has been these last couple!

eight months!

It's hard to believe that she's 8 months old today.

She's now slept all night THREE nights in a row.  I couldn't be more thrilled.  Waking up each morning and realizing that I haven't been awakened since I went to bed the night before is just heavenly!  I've probably just jinxed myself by writing that, but let's hope not.

good news, bad news

I haven't done one of these in awhile....

-The good news is that Rebecca slept all night the last two nights!  Both nights she went to bed around 7, I didn't get her up at 9:30 to feed her like I've been doing (in order to prevent a middle of the night wake up), and I had intended on letting her cry it out when she woke up in the middle of the night, only she didn't!  She slept straight through until 7:00 or 7:15!  12+ hours!  Woo hoo!!!!

-The bad news is that she's a terrible napper.  45 minutes is pretty much the longest nap she takes.  She takes several of them a day.  I don't know how to solve the problem.  I let her cry, trying to get her to go back to sleep, but yesterday she cried for an entire HOUR without stopping.  The poor girl.  I felt like a terrible mom.  After an hour it was time to eat so I got her up.  Should I have let her keep going?  I don't know what to do.

-The good news is that Rachel has graduated to a booster seat in the car.  She loves it, and I love that it's so much easier to fasten her in.

-The bad news is that now I have to switch Rebecca over out of the infant carrier, into Rachel's old seat.  This means that I'll no longer be able to pop her carrier out of the car and into the stroller to push her in to school or the store or wherever we're going.  The ramifications of this are that she'll have to wear a coat (instead of being covered with the super warm cover in her carrier), which means I'll have to wrangle her into said coat before going out, and also have to carry her everywhere.  I'm trying to wait out the cold weather before I make the switch, but unfortunately she keeps gaining weight and is very soon going to outgrow her carrier, likely before the weather turns warmer.

-The good news is that Rachel didn't pull a card today at school.

-The bad news is that she pulled one on Monday (for not obeying the teacher--twice) and also that she had a meltdown today because she wouldn't share a jump rope with a boy in the gym.  Ugh.  I'm glad she's learning these lessons now, before kindergarten begins in the fall, but something tells me that we'll still be dealing with the same issues then.

a conversation

Today while eating lunch at the kitchen table, Rachel and I had this conversation after I noticed she was being unusually quiet (unusual because it never happens that she's not talking!):

Mom: What are you thinking about, Rachel?
Rachel: I'm not thinking.
M (laughing): But you have to be thinking about something.
R: No, I'm not. 
M (trying a different approach): What's going on in your head?
R: I don't know.  (Silence)  It sounds like mice are running around in my head.


Maybe next time I'll just enjoy the silence and not try to understand why.

progress

An update on little Miss Rebecca....

She hasn't been rolling much since I last told you she rolled.  She'll do it if you start to push her legs to the side when she's laying down, so she can do it, she just chooses not to. 

She's babbling up a storm.  She's been experimenting with various sounds and every few days she seems to have a new sound she's obsessed with for awhile.  A few days last week it was a very high pitched squeal.  She did it constantly for about 48 hours.  Then she started yelling instead.  Now it's a combination of squeals, yells, and jabbering with various combinations of "aah," "gah," or "dah."  It's cute, and since she's usually happy, it happens a lot.

Yesterday when I layed her down for tummy time, she showed off some brand new skills.  Over the course of a few minutes she turned herself around 180 degrees so she was facing the other end of the room.  We were thrilled to see this new skill, as it's her first attempt at moving in any sort of manner.  Today when I put her down she did the same thing, even faster.  Maybe scooting isn't far behind.  She certainly isn't following the "norm" as far as hitting milestones, but she seems to be progressing at her own pace, learning all of the things she's supposed to.  I guess someone has to be at the late end of those averages, right?

She's loving the Christmas present, this kitchen, which Rachel picked out for her.  It seems to be one of her favorite toys and she knows how to manipulate it pretty well to make it play music.  Of course she also loves putting the pot and spoon in her mouth, and "sampling" the carrots, milk, and applesauce jar that came with it, too.  Rachel enjoys playing with it, too, and the two of them are interacting more and more as Rebecca becomes more playful.  It's fun to watch.  She adores her big sister and one of her favorite pasttimes is watching her big sister, breaking out in big smiles whenever Rachel pays her any sort of attention!

Still no teeth, though they've seemed close for so long.  One of these days they finally have to break through. 

She's currently coughing and sneezing a lot.  I hope the ear infection isn't back.  She goes back to the doctor this week for a check up, so I'm thankful to be able to find out if there's anything wrong.

She's a very happy baby, gives us lots of smiles, and I just adore her!

new 'do

Rachel's been asking for a haircut.  Her bangs were waaaaaaaay too long, so we went today after school.  She decided on her own that she wanted it shorter.  I said, "A little shorter or a lot shorter?"  She said she wanted it a lot shorter.  The hair dresser and I both tried to talk her out of it, but she was determined.  I actually wanted it shorter, but wanted it to be her decision, not mine.

The picture isn't so great, but here's her cute new haircut.  We both like it.  Even my husband, who really didn't want it shorter, thinks it looks good.

And I'm SO excited to hear less whining, "Mommy, my hair is static-y" all winter long!

an interview with Rachel

I've seen these interviews before on the blogs I read, but never tried it.  Today I decided to give it a shot.  Trying to keep her attention long enough to answer them all was a challenge (she was busy looking outside at the snow falling down), but we made it to the end.  Some of the answers didn't surprise me, but others did. Anyway, enjoy!

1. What is something Mommy always says to you?


Uh...Don't get in trouble.

2. What makes Mommy happy?

Good stuff...(I asked her, "Like what?")...like being nice and kind and hugging people and loving people and share with people and that's all the good stuff....and playing nicely.

3. What makes Mommy sad?

When I do bad things...("Like what?")...being mean and fighting and don't be nice and don't share and pull a card to red.

4. How does Mommy make you laugh?

Tickling and laughing.

5. What was Mommy like as a child?

She had yellow hair and skin and a blue dress and a red dress and a necklace and bracelets. (She's referring to the dresses my mom saved of mine that Rachel now uses to dress up in when she's at my mom's house.)


6. How old is Mommy?

I forget....how old are you, Mommy?


7. How tall is Mommy?

We have to measure you first.

8. What is Mommy's favorite thing to do?

I don't know....is it cooking?

9. What does Mommy do when you're not around?

Clean and cook.

10. If Mommy becomes famous, what will it be for?

What's famous?

11. What is Mommy really good at?

Games....that's the only thing.

12. What is Mommy not very good at?

That doctor's game I got for Christmas. (She's referring to "Operation.")

13. What does Mommy do for her job?

I don't know...to take care of me and Rebecca and cook and go shopping with me for Christmas presents at Christmastime.

14. What is Mommy's favorite food?

I don't know.  (Then she asked me what it was...I told her it was pizza.)

15. If Mommy were a cartoon character, who would she be?

Um, maybe Scooby Doo?  And remember that bear who steals picnic baskets?  (I have to add that she's never ever seen Scooby Doo or Yogi Bear, so I have no idea why she chose those!)

16. What do you and Mommy do together?

Play games and play with my kitchen and painting and we have lots of fun.


17. How are you and Mommy the same?

Because you had yellow hair when you were a little girl and we have the same color eyes.

18. How are you and Mommy different?

Because you have brown hair and I have yellow hair.


19. How do you know Mommy loves you?

Because I'm your favorite four year old girl.

20. Where is Mommy's favorite place to go?

Maybe Meijer.  (Ha!  This one made me laugh.  Meijer is where I do almost all of my grocery shopping, so she knows I go there all the time.  Hardly my favorite store, but yes, I do spend a lot of time there!)

the nutcracker

I mentioned here that I'd write a post someday about the night Rachel and I went to see The Nutcracker.  So here we go.

She was so excited about it for days.  When it was finally time to leave the house, she was ecstatic.  She loved getting dressed up and going somewhere at night (we almost never go anywhere in the evening, so whenever she gets a chance, she thinks it's really special).  As we drove toward downtown we listened to Christmas music and she talked my ear off about anything and everything.   We parked in the underground parking garage and walked up the stairs to ground level.  As we came outside, we were right in front of the theater, which was all lit up with Christmas lights.  Rachel was in awe.  It really was spectacular looking and I was excited, too.

We walked in the theater and her awe continued.  It's an old, ornate theater that's been restored, and it really is beautiful.  She was approproately impressed, looking all around at everything.  We went in the rest room, which has a lounge area with two old, "fancy" couches (her word).  She thought that was so great! 

We finally made our way to our seats in the balcony.  She talked my OTHER ear off and asked one question after another until the lights finally dimmed at showtime.  I had prepared her ahead of time by watching clips of The Nutcracker on youtube, and reading the story of The Nutcracker, so she knew roughly what was supposed to happen.  While that was good in some ways, I was second guessing myself when every 30 seconds or so she would lean over, move my hair away from my ear, and whisper, "When is _____ going to happen?"  (fill in the blank with any event in the story--she asked about all of them!)  Or she'd ask, "What's happening now?"  or "Is this part almost done?" and on and on.  I told her she wasn't allowed to talk during the performance and if she had a question she had to whisper in my ear.  Well, she followed those directions alright...but a little too literally, since she really did whisper something about every 30 seconds! 

But she loved it.  All of it.  Her favorite parts were the Sugar Plum Fairy and Mother Ginger, whose children come out from under her dress.  My favorite part was the Waltz of the Flowers. 

We were stuck in the parking garage after it was over, waiting to get out, for 15 minutes, during which time she started melting down ("I just want to go hooooooooooooooooooooooome," she cried).  It was late and way past her bedtime, so it didn't surprise me.  But when we got home she was excited to tell Daddy all about it and stay up a little while to eat a snack.  It was a great night.

I decided at the last minute the next day, on Christmas Eve, to buy Rachel this CD of the show for Christmas because she loved it all so much.  I'm so glad I did.  Ever since Christmas morning she's listened to it over and over again, reinacting the dances.  Now she's VERY interested in taking ballet lessons and being "a real ballerina."  She said, "Mom, when I'm older and know how to dance will you and Daddy come watch me when I dance in the Nutcracker on the stage?" 

So maybe in the fall we'll start her in a real ballet class if she's still interested.  We'll see.

dates and times

Happy 2011!

We've had MANY conversations in our house recently about the date....about it no longer being 2010, about it being January, and December is all done, and February comes next, and that's when we leave for Disney World, and on and on and on.  Rachel is obsessed right now with the date--it started in December when we were doing the Advent calendar, and is continuing now because we're doing a countdown calendar to our Disney trip.  And she's also obsessed with the time.  I don't know how that one happened, but all of a sudden about a month ago she just started noticing the time and asks me all the time, "What time is it, Mommy?" and when I answer she says, "What do we do at 5:30?" (or whatever time I say it is.)  It drives me crazy!  Is this a normal four-going-on-five phenomenon?  

a milestone...FINALLY!

On Dec 27th Rebecca was 7 months old.  And on that day, she FINALLY rolled over all by herself! 

I wish I had it on video.  It was SO exciting!  She's done it a couple of times since then, and she'll do it if you gently begin to push her leg across her body, but usually she's quite content to stay on her back if you lay her down that way.

She's also putting weight on her legs a bit more willingly.  The physical therapist will be thrilled when we see her next, I'm sure!

With each new skill she accomplishes I become a little less concerned about her development.  She seems to be able to do what she should be doing, just a little bit slower at learning to use her muscles for some reason.

So we're home now (Grandma and Grandpa brought us back yesterday afternoon).  Rachel and Rebecca are still coughing up a storm, but are acting fairly normal.  And they're both sleeping better (which means I'm sleeping better).  It's been a rough several days, though, with such little sleep.  One night while we were at Grandma's house Rachel woke up every 20-30 minutes until about 2:30 AM (she then slept until about 7:30).  And then Rebecca woke up at 2:40....so there was very little sleep for me that night.  Thankfully Rachel only woke up once last night and Rebecca slept all night, so I'm feeling a little more rested today. I'm still hoping to take them to the doctor this morning.

EDITED TO ADD:  We went to the doctor and they both have an ear infection.  Now here's hoping the good ol' pink medicine will wipe it all out quickly and we can all get some SLEEP!!