Happy Birthday Tommi!

Where has time gone?!? My little Easter bunny is turning 4! I could not be more excited and sad at the same time. She is growing up to be such a fun, sweet, wonderful little girl. But has a big attitude and is showing to be more like me by the day. In some ways watching her turn into me is fun b/c well I know I am shaping a human being but it scares me b/c I was a pistol!

She tests my patience with her big attitude and desire to be the boss all the time but then cuddles and loves like no one else! She is most definitely a sweet snuggle bunny! I adore this about her.

The next year brings a whole new chapter of starting school (preschool) and becoming more independent. I am embracing this while holding back tears.

Happy birthday to my sweet snuggle bunny and the worlds best big sister!!!

Someone please tell me why 4 sounds so much older than 3?!?!

Posting the day before her b-day b/c tomorrow will be busy with everyone coming up for the big party on Saturday!!

Miley Sleep

As anyone and everyone who has ever talked to me knows Miley is not a good sleeper. I have been told more times than I can count that I am so patient to deal with her not sleeping through the night at over a year old.

I have realized recently, I actually enjoy her not sleeping through the night. OK I have to say I do not like the nights she is up 3/4 times a night or the nights she wakes up and will not stop crying or won't go back to sleep b/c she wants to play. So basically the nights she sleeps 4+ hour stretches and goes right back to sleep when I nurse her.

I will most definitely miss the cuddles, the breath on my neck, the snuggles, the need for me and me alone, and again the cuddles! Miley is not a cuddly kid, she is way too active. So when I get snuggle time I am pumped.

She is only little for so long and if she is still waking up more than once a night by her second birthday, we will be having a talk!

Last night was an ideal night...she went down at 9pm, woke up and nursed at 430, and woke up for the day at 830. Heavenly!

Some nights she falls asleep nursing and some nights she nurses until she is very sleepy but wants no more then she crawls up gets her passy from me, lays her head on my shoulder, I get a couple minutes of snuggles, and then lay her in bed awake and she goes right to sleep.

I am not seeing the nursing stopping anytime soon since she is slightly addicted and will not drink more than 2 sips of milk from a sippy cup at a meal. I would not be totally opposed to her dropping her 2 naptime feedings but for now she still nurses first thing in the morning, before morning nap, before afternoon nap, sometimes before dinner, bedtime, and whenever she wakes up during the night.

boyfriends.

Tommi has a VERY big imagination. I love it so we pretend play a lot and try to make sure she is not embarrassed of playing make believe.

Right now she has "Hugo" her sometimes husband, sometimes just friend. "Arie (are-E)" he is her boyfriend/friend and he is a water boy haha.

The story behind Arie...Tommi was cheering for him while TJ and her were watching a basketball game and TJ said "Does Arie play on the team?" Tommi said "No he brings the players water." Holding back laughter TJ said "So he is the water boy?" Which Tommi proudly said "Yes!"

She is forever "calling" her friends on the phone and making up different things that are going on. It is a blast to watch her mind work!

She is wild...

Miley is a wild child. She wants to be on the go all the time! After walking for almost 2 weeks she is starting to almost run...good God help me! I thought Tommi had a party going on but Miley is a whole different ball game. And honestly I love it!

If I turn my back for too long I will most likely find Miley up on top of something she is not supposed to be...mostly Tommi's kid table which she loves pulling the chairs out and climbing on. So lovely! She seriously has NO fear!

She now can say mama, daddy, ball, kitty, pappy, dean, bye bye, hey, hi, and be-be (blueberry i think). She whispers kitty and pappy, which is too sweet!

She is really good about putting her arms in her jacket and taking them out of the carseat straps when I unbuckle it. If something is in her hands she will switch hands to put that arm through, etc. I'm not sure if this is impressive but I think it is.

She is getting really smart with everyday things. I seriously LOVE watching her discover the world and just normal details I overlook. (I loved this stage with Tommi too)

Miley's new nick name is "Queen of Destruction". She enjoys going up to tables, shelves, anything at her level and clearing it! i.e. My parents coffee table can have nothing on it when she is around. The shoes at Dick's today were not save and as I picked up one 3 more were on the ground...thank God for the stroller.

Bedtime has always been nurse then lay on my chest for a bit to get into a deep sleep. This no longer can be done, I have to be standing and she puts her head on my shoulder...she likes to turn her face in and breathe her sweet breath on my neck. I could hold her like that forever...I love the little cuddle time she gives me. Most of the time she goes into her bed semi-awake or fully awake but sleepy. This is a BIG deal! I still like having her fall asleep on me but it is helpful when she will not do that.  Last night she slept from 8-1030 nursed, slept till 230 nursed, then slept from 3-9 (woohoo!) She is not feeling good with a runny nose and yucky cough so this was better than expected.

I wish I knew what she loved so much about my parents house b/c she sleeps well there and pulls 6 hour stretches when we get home.

We will sleep through the night one day. But I'm MUCH happier with our sleep now and I can totally deal. (knock on wood)

update...

I have been so bad about updating.

So much going on...I'll do my best to hit what I can.

Miley at almost 14 months is still not sleeping through the night. She pulled a couple nights in a row of only getting up once (2 six hour stretches) but then before I could even get excited she was back to getting up twice a night (3 four-ish hour stretches) I'm can't complain much b/c I seriously love her so much.

Something has been up with her b/c she is not eating food very well and her falling asleep skills have been "off". Usually she nurses and just goes to sleep then I put her passy in her mouth, let her lay on my chest for a couple mins and then put her in her bed. But recently she is nursing and will fall asleep but as soon as I move her she gets mad and wants to keep nursing. When I have had enough I have to deal with her throwing herself around for a minute till she finally takes her passy. Then she will sometimes go to sleep on my chest but othertimes I have to let her cry in her bed for a couple minutes (which is all it takes for her to fall asleep) Naptime just falls asleep nursing and has no issue so who knows. I'm rollin with the punches b/c this too shall pass.

Miley is a terrible picky eater...worse than Tommi. Basically blueberries, grapes, strawberries, chicken, PB&J, grilled cheese, yogurt, Cheerios, and cereal bars. Which is all still hit and miss...mainly miss this past week.

I don't know what I'm gonna do with Miley sometimes b/c of how adventurous she is sometimes. Tonight at TJ's parents house we had the stairs blocked my a chair (which has worked...until now) and she walked up and used all she had to move the chair! Of course I was with her so she didn't go down the steps but good gracious can she just accept somethings are off limits. She also stuck her head between the spinals of the railing and got it stuck b/c she kept turning her head sideways after getting it through.


Tommi...oh my sweet (almost 4 year old) is doing AMAZING in dance! She is so sassy but super serious about it. I wish I could even touch on how awesome she is and remember the things she comes up with. She LOVES pretending and always has a "friend" here or she is talking to them. We have lots of dance parties and she is forever making up dances. Which are hilarious!

The other day Tommi said "Oh no, mom!" Worried I said "What's wrong babe?" she said "It's time for a dance party!" and started dancing and laughing!

My mom gave her gum the other day and she said "That's brilliant!"  ha

I was getting upset with her and was telling her why she couldn't do something (I can't remember what). So I went to give her reasons and said "One b/c ..., two b/c ...," and before I could finish she said  "and three, I'm not talking to you!" haha what?!?! I couldn't even be upset anymore!

She can now count to 6 in Spanish which is a memory thing but it is pretty awesome when she pulls it out and surprises someone.

Tommi is such a great big sister. Though she tries to steal the spotlight ALL THE TIME. She is so good with Miley and they both love each other to pieces! There is such a bond that I can only see getting so much stronger. Anytime Tommi meets a friend she brings them over to introduce them to Miley.


If I could only bottle these girls up!

WALKING!!!

Well it is official as of last night Miley is a walker. She has taken steps before but only here and there but last night she finally just became comfortable and did it. I gave her a bath and then we were playing in her room and Tommi and I went into the bathroom to comb her hair and low and behold here comes our little walker, from her room to the bathroom and then down the hall! I had to hold Tommi's mouth so she did not scare her and make her fall. When she finally did fall to her butt, we showered her with claps and excitement. Which for anyone who knows Miley, they know that is her dream come true! She just slightly loves attention!

She did alot of walking today. She still crawls if she is sitting somewhere and there is nothing to pull up on but she only crawls to something then is off walking. It is really funny b/c she is so little. Too cute! She has wonderful balance though and it is so cute when she starts to wobble.

I thought I would be less fascinated by her walking since I have already been through one learning to walk but she is different and has a different walk so I am loving it once again! My kids are awesome! :)

So blessed

In a slump...

But I want to note how happy I am right now with life. My girls are insanely amazing! I am blessed beyond my own imagination. 

Tommi is definitely 3 aka has a tude and is down right crazy sometimes but that girl has the sweetest heart and is such a sponge when it comes to learning things. She has such a sweet heart and amazing personality. She is born leader...aka bossy! :) She is all about pretending right now and it is so cool to watch and be a part of! Tonight we were reading some kid devotionals and they were about Gods love and how to show Gods love and she came up with all kinds of ways she can show Gods love to her friends who in her words "have Jesus in their hearts too b/c they are nice". Then when I went to kiss her good night for bed she asked "Is Jesus still in my heart when I am not kind to my friends? B/c sometimes I forget to be nice." Of course I told her that he never leaves her and when that happens we just have to ask him to forgive us and do better. She said "Good b/c I want to have Gods love." OMG! If I can do nothing else for my girls I want them to KNOW Gods love and to love him back! B/c everything else will fall into place if they love God and trust in him. I'm one proud momma!

Tommi started dance last week...she switched from gymnastics and I think it was a great switch for her. She has such a love for music and movement that I think she will find so much value in the class. It is much more calm and organized and she is SO over the top happy. Plus who can not resist a little girl in a leotard, tutu, and ballet slippers?!?! 

Miley is honestly such a joy to be around (most of the time) She is so happy and is just totally full of herself. Like always when she is mad, she is really mad and when she is happy, she is over the top happy. She completes a piece of my heart I never knew was missing. She is such a little sunshine in any room she enters. I have people stop all the time to admire her and just have her smile at them. It is awesome! She doing pretty well in her bed. She has good nights and bad nights. But I really think some teeth must be messing with her b/c she gets down right uncomfortable sometimes. None the less she does love her bed and I really think she is happier in her crib. On Sunday after a rough night she woke up at 8am and played in her bed till 845am. I wished I had a video monitor to watch her but listening to her on the monitor was entertainment enough. So no we are still not sleeping through the night and her nursing and eating vary by the day but she just likes keeping me on my toes. All of this too shall pass and I will miss her sweet little body laying on my chest at 2am and knowing I am her world and I make her feel as safe as possible! If it did not interrupt my sleep I'd let her stay there all night!

I'm so crazy in love with her and her crazyness. She is fearless compared to Tommi. She climbs and tumbles and is just full force. Love it...and fear it.

For note purposes that I will laugh at one day...in the last month I have asked my breast feeding moms group about Mileys crazy schedule a million times. First she was nursing "too much". She would nurse before naps, after naps/before meals, and sometimes more random snacks in there. Then she was only wanting to nurse before naps and leaving me engorged esp in the mornings (she would go 4am-10am with out nursing). Now she is back to before naps and before meals and back to nursing in the mornings when she gets up.  I'm learning to take it moment by moment with her and since she is one and knows best for her body I know she will be ok. She can use a cup but mainly wants to play with it so trying to make her skip a feeding and just use a cup at a meal is not happening. I'm not planning on weaning but tried it when she was skipping meals last week. If I can remember anything for my potential next one (maybe not after this crazy child) take things in strides and unless they seem like they are missing something (nutrition) and are happy just let it be, tomorrow is a new day. Phases happen and it will be ok.

The new house has been a dream come true for all of us. I finally feel "free" and not trapped to the living room. Miley can go everywhere with no baby gates and Tommi just seems more "at home". I can not explain it but I feel like I am living a dream! I'm even doing better cleaning b/c I love my house that much! haha 

God is SO good!