Not your average girl

Like most kids, Zoe's likes (and dislikes) have come and gone in phases over the past year. When something is "in", it is really in- we're talking obsession level. It started with horses (very girly), moved to elephants (somewhat girly), and has now progressed to dinosaurs (not girly at all!) Zoe has never been your typical girl- she's not into taking care of baby dolls, playing dress up, that sort of thing. However, since Madelyn's arrival I have noticed her doing more "mommy" type things. Here she is feeding her Spinosaurus a bottle while her other dinosaur children wait beside her.

Morning Hugs

Snuggling up with Daddy before he leaves for work.

San Diego

This past weekend we made a last minute decision to head south to visit the beautiful city of San Diego. Any of you who know me well know that I am very much a planner and "last minute" is not really in my vocabulary. However, I put aside the fact that I did not have time to create 18 different lists of what to pack and it turned out to be a fabulous trip! Our sweet baby girl slept the entire 3+ hours in the car (both there and back!), and had no trouble sleeping in the pack and play at the hotel. Zoe, being the seasoned traveler that she is, was a piece of cake as well. We had a fantastic time walking, shopping, and eating around Seaport Village along the San Diego Harbor, experiencing the impressive San Diego Zoo, and even enjoying the little things like the pool and fancy elevators at the hotel. All in all, I couldn't have asked for a better time spent with my wonderful family.

The smile...

that melts my heart.

Our Little Swimmer

Zoe had her last swim lesson today. It was a rocky start, but now she is doing great! The same little girl who was crying and afraid to put her head in the water is now jumping, diving, and swimming all over the place! We are so proud of you, Zoe!!

Hello Little Friend

Shopping at Kohl's

We all took a good nap this afternoon so I felt pretty confident that we could have a successful trip to Kohl's to purchase back to school shoes for Zoe and potentially browse the clearance racks. Our evening went a little bit like this:

5pm- feed baby

5:15- feed Zoe and myself

5:45- baby fussing in car on way to Kohl's which escalates to full out scream upon arrival

6pm- offer baby a bottle despite the fact she ate one hour ago, not interested but stops crying

6:10- baby screaming bloody murder in shoe section of Kohl's

6:15- feeding baby in middle of store while 4 year old attempts to find shoes herself

6:30-have shoes, bravely moving on to kids clothing section with fussy baby

6:30-7pm- fussy baby needs to be held by mom who is just trying to find a good deal while curious 4 year old wanders in clothing racks while talking/singing nonstop

7pm- finally make it to checkout while wondering what in the world I was thinking

7:05- baby falls asleep on the way home while mom vows never to take these two crazy kids shopping again!

Sisters

Today a wonderful thing happened in our house. Zoe actually ASKED to hold her baby sister. Now this may not seem like a big deal but Zoe hasn't shown much excitement about Madelyn's arrival. While I am thankful she is never aggresive towards her, I will admit I had hoped she would show more interest in Madelyn than she has so far. So maybe today was the turning point. And the best part is that I got this beautiful picture of my precious little girls.

Madelyn is 3 Months Old

Our baby girl is 3 months old today! It's hard to imagine a time when she wasn't part of our family. Here is what our little princess is up to these days:

* smiling, talking, cooing

* loves her swing and usually naps there during the day

* is starting to establish some sort of schedule/routine

* likes to be held facing out so she can see what's going on

* wakes up to eat 1-2 times a night (Mommy prefers once)

*is gaining lots of head control

* has discovered her fingers and loves sucking on them

*enjoys tummy time for a short amount of time

We love you Madelyn!

Puzzle Time

It's hard these days to get quality time with Zoe, but today, while Madelyn napped, we got a few uninterrupted minutes together. We had a great time working on her United States puzzle. She amazes me with her geographical knowledge, which I'm fairly certain is better than mine. I guess for a girl who's lived in 3 different states in her four years of life, it's good she knows her way around a map!

Bathtime

Madelyn showing off her big belly which so cutely matches her chubby cheeks.

To Nap or Not to Nap

Now that Zoe is 4, she is beginning the transition to no afternoon naps. Some days she'll fall asleep during her "rest time", but most times she doesn't. This is what happens on the days that she doesn't sleep- passed out on the couch at 7:15!

What a beautiful noise...

During pregnancy, every mom-to-be wonders what her new baby will be like- hair or no hair, eye color, Mom's or Dad's nose, etc, etc. One of the things I always thought about was what my girls' voices would sound like. Nothing I ever imagined is as sweet as the beautiful sounds I get to hear every day...

And when they get older it sounds like this...

In case you weren't sure, this is a Bible song called "In the Lord's Army". Zoe is still learning the correct lyrics, but her own version is just too cute!

The Beginning

Due to popular demand, I have started a blog. I'm still not sure how often I will be able to post things since there are some days when I can't seem to find time to take a shower. However, hopefully even an occasional post will give you a glimpse at our new life as a family of four in sunny California.