I love that Kate.
And, her debut as a biped . . .
(forgive me -- I cannot for the life of me figure out how to reorient the second half of the video -- so turn your head to the left and enjoy!)
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Kate the Great
Oh that Kate, she's been so very busy lately . . . she is DEFINITELY busier than Meg was at this age. She's busier than Meg ever was as a baby. She is a monkey, a climber, and into everything.
I love that Kate.
And, her debut as a biped . . .
I love that Kate.
And, her debut as a biped . . .
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
The Home Stretch
In just a few short weeks, my itty bitty baby . . . my tiny little gem . . . will turn one. ONE. We have rounded the corner and are headed fast toward that one year marker. And it feels good.
The milestones are flying fast. Kate's gotten her first tooth, said her first word(s), and took her first steps all in the last month. The teeth you knew about . . . but yes, you heard me right: Kate has started walking and talking.
Her first word? "Uh oh" Loud and clear, plain as day, and used in correct context. As a matter of fact, dropping her cup from her high chair and exclaiming, "Uh oh!" is officially one of Kate's favorite games. She can also say a very breathy "Hi" while waiving, but it's not quite as consistent as "Uh oh." Still, it counts.
The first steps? That milestone occurred just this past weekend. On Sunday, as we all attempted to bbq in the rain at Aunt JuJu's new place in the Virginia Highlands, Kate took her first shaky 4-5 step pass with a crowd of about 8 people watching. We cheered! We clapped! And now when you place her firm on her little feet and try to get her to walk, she starts out with a big smile and a few claps. As if to say, "Look at me! I need my praise now, please!"
Since Sunday, her steps have gotten better and better. And she's even managed to stand herself up from falling in the middle of the room, which shows her balance it getting there. I have to tell you . . . Kate looks like a little doll walking. My grandma said she would, and boy -- she was right. All 28 inches of her just toddling along is the cutest thing I've seen in a while. I can't wait until she really takes off and uses her legs as her primary form of mobility. She's still dropping to her knees to crawl (because it's faster), but certainly that won't last long. I'm about to have TWO totally mobile kids around here.
The milestones have come and gone so quickly. Wasn't it just last week I was detailing all of the effort it took to bathe both girls? Now I pretty much throw the both in the tub, and we're done in no time. And remember when Kate could not sit up . . . or when she was wanting to crawl so badly? Those days are long gone. She's accomplished so much this year.
The "first birthday party" invitations were mailed today. To me, that means we are officially in the home stretch . . . the first year is nearly done. With Meg, the party and the first year celebration was truly all about her. It was a BIG to do, bigger than I had originally planned. It was quite an event for our family. Kate's will also be a big production, though it feels a little different the second time around.
I'm not taking anything away from Kate in saying this -- but I do have to admit -- I feel like sharing a little in Kate's first year celebration. She made it a whole year . . . and so did I. This year has been one of the hardest I will probably endure (at least I can hope life doesn't get too much harder), with all the changes and the blindsiding that the second baby brought to our home. This time last year, I had NO idea what Kate's first year would hold. Now, a year later, I actually feel like I'VE accomplished something by making it from June '08 to June '09.
Like I said, I'm not taking anything away from Kate. She is going to have a first birthday party all to herself . . . I'm not even sharing her party with Meg, though their birthdays are just 3 days apart. Meg will have a pool party with HER friends, and Kate is going to have a party with our family and close family friends. Two parties in 3 days time means a lot of work for mommy, but it's worth it. Birthdays are totally for celebrating.
My calendar amazes me . . . just about 3 weeks until Kate is a year old. ONE. Time certainly flies. It flies when you are having fun . . . and as hard as this year has been, it's been amazingly fun at the same time.
Here we go . . . we've rounded the corner, and I can see the finish line ahead. We've almost made it, Kate! The one year milestone is straight ahead. And we're going to WALK across it together!
(I have pictures of Kate walking, but the computer is on the fritz so I can't get them downloaded -- I'll post some later this week for sure.)
The milestones are flying fast. Kate's gotten her first tooth, said her first word(s), and took her first steps all in the last month. The teeth you knew about . . . but yes, you heard me right: Kate has started walking and talking.
Her first word? "Uh oh" Loud and clear, plain as day, and used in correct context. As a matter of fact, dropping her cup from her high chair and exclaiming, "Uh oh!" is officially one of Kate's favorite games. She can also say a very breathy "Hi" while waiving, but it's not quite as consistent as "Uh oh." Still, it counts.
The first steps? That milestone occurred just this past weekend. On Sunday, as we all attempted to bbq in the rain at Aunt JuJu's new place in the Virginia Highlands, Kate took her first shaky 4-5 step pass with a crowd of about 8 people watching. We cheered! We clapped! And now when you place her firm on her little feet and try to get her to walk, she starts out with a big smile and a few claps. As if to say, "Look at me! I need my praise now, please!"
Since Sunday, her steps have gotten better and better. And she's even managed to stand herself up from falling in the middle of the room, which shows her balance it getting there. I have to tell you . . . Kate looks like a little doll walking. My grandma said she would, and boy -- she was right. All 28 inches of her just toddling along is the cutest thing I've seen in a while. I can't wait until she really takes off and uses her legs as her primary form of mobility. She's still dropping to her knees to crawl (because it's faster), but certainly that won't last long. I'm about to have TWO totally mobile kids around here.
The milestones have come and gone so quickly. Wasn't it just last week I was detailing all of the effort it took to bathe both girls? Now I pretty much throw the both in the tub, and we're done in no time. And remember when Kate could not sit up . . . or when she was wanting to crawl so badly? Those days are long gone. She's accomplished so much this year.
The "first birthday party" invitations were mailed today. To me, that means we are officially in the home stretch . . . the first year is nearly done. With Meg, the party and the first year celebration was truly all about her. It was a BIG to do, bigger than I had originally planned. It was quite an event for our family. Kate's will also be a big production, though it feels a little different the second time around.
I'm not taking anything away from Kate in saying this -- but I do have to admit -- I feel like sharing a little in Kate's first year celebration. She made it a whole year . . . and so did I. This year has been one of the hardest I will probably endure (at least I can hope life doesn't get too much harder), with all the changes and the blindsiding that the second baby brought to our home. This time last year, I had NO idea what Kate's first year would hold. Now, a year later, I actually feel like I'VE accomplished something by making it from June '08 to June '09.
Like I said, I'm not taking anything away from Kate. She is going to have a first birthday party all to herself . . . I'm not even sharing her party with Meg, though their birthdays are just 3 days apart. Meg will have a pool party with HER friends, and Kate is going to have a party with our family and close family friends. Two parties in 3 days time means a lot of work for mommy, but it's worth it. Birthdays are totally for celebrating.
My calendar amazes me . . . just about 3 weeks until Kate is a year old. ONE. Time certainly flies. It flies when you are having fun . . . and as hard as this year has been, it's been amazingly fun at the same time.
Here we go . . . we've rounded the corner, and I can see the finish line ahead. We've almost made it, Kate! The one year milestone is straight ahead. And we're going to WALK across it together!
(I have pictures of Kate walking, but the computer is on the fritz so I can't get them downloaded -- I'll post some later this week for sure.)
Monday, May 25, 2009
When Last We Met . . .
Meg was about to send me to the looney bin, and Kate was about to pop her 2 front teeth. We were about to leave for our family vacation in Iowa and Kansas, and I felt like I was about to lose my mind in preparation for it.
Fast forward more than a week, and here we are.
The trip was awesome. The girls were angels. We had a wonderful visit with extended family, followed by some great days with just the Grandparents.
Nobody was sick. Meg was really a GREAT kid -- the great kid she usually is, prior to the week of hellish behavior we had right before the trip. Kate popped her two front teeth on the last day of our trip, but she really didn't complain about it at all in the days leading up to their big debut. Both girls were a true pleasure to be around. As you can imagine, the grandparents ate them up.
I can't even begin to describe all of the things we did while away in the midwest. We had just a fantastic time . . . both at the big 90th birthday celebration for Jim's grandma and in the week that followed, when we just hung out with the family.
In Iowa, this is prime crop planting season. The crop? Corn, of course. Corn and some soybeans, though most everything we saw planted or being planted was corn. There was a little divine intervention on our trip . . . we were at Great Grandma Moen's farm (that would be Jim's Mom's Mom) on the day that they planted the corn on her land. We got to see the BIG tractors till the land one evening, then they returned with the planters and planted the corn seeds the following morning. For a suburban kid like me (and Meg and Kate), it was a real treat. They only do the planting once a year -- one day a year -- and we just happened to time it right. That was certainly the highlight of the trip for me and Meg.
We also went to the little town cafe and had breakfast in Emmons, MN. We went to the Elks Lodge for 'Taco Tuesday' and had a ball. We shopped, we drove the 5+ hours back to Kansas, we saw family friends, and we visited our favorite local petting zoo in Jim's hometown of Overland Park, KS.
It was a great trip.
And now we are home, and after nearly 3 days, I think just about everything is back to where it belongs. The girls went to bed at 7:30pm tonight -- eastern time, that is. Back to our schedule. We've (selfishly) kept them on central time for the past couple of days to enjoy a few holiday weekend evening activities and the late morning sleep that follows when your kids body clocks are about an hour behind 'real' time. Tonight, though, it was a return to normalcy.
I'm just so glad we had a great trip . . . and now I'm so glad to be back home. Tomorrow is another day, as Scarlett O'hara says. Tomorrow we'll get back on track. (And yes, for those of you that missed me, I'll get back to blogging!)
Enjoy the photos in the albums linked -- I've added a lot of stuff, including trip pictures and just general pictures of our lives in the "May 2009" album.
Fast forward more than a week, and here we are.
The trip was awesome. The girls were angels. We had a wonderful visit with extended family, followed by some great days with just the Grandparents.
Nobody was sick. Meg was really a GREAT kid -- the great kid she usually is, prior to the week of hellish behavior we had right before the trip. Kate popped her two front teeth on the last day of our trip, but she really didn't complain about it at all in the days leading up to their big debut. Both girls were a true pleasure to be around. As you can imagine, the grandparents ate them up.
I can't even begin to describe all of the things we did while away in the midwest. We had just a fantastic time . . . both at the big 90th birthday celebration for Jim's grandma and in the week that followed, when we just hung out with the family.
In Iowa, this is prime crop planting season. The crop? Corn, of course. Corn and some soybeans, though most everything we saw planted or being planted was corn. There was a little divine intervention on our trip . . . we were at Great Grandma Moen's farm (that would be Jim's Mom's Mom) on the day that they planted the corn on her land. We got to see the BIG tractors till the land one evening, then they returned with the planters and planted the corn seeds the following morning. For a suburban kid like me (and Meg and Kate), it was a real treat. They only do the planting once a year -- one day a year -- and we just happened to time it right. That was certainly the highlight of the trip for me and Meg.
We also went to the little town cafe and had breakfast in Emmons, MN. We went to the Elks Lodge for 'Taco Tuesday' and had a ball. We shopped, we drove the 5+ hours back to Kansas, we saw family friends, and we visited our favorite local petting zoo in Jim's hometown of Overland Park, KS.
It was a great trip.
And now we are home, and after nearly 3 days, I think just about everything is back to where it belongs. The girls went to bed at 7:30pm tonight -- eastern time, that is. Back to our schedule. We've (selfishly) kept them on central time for the past couple of days to enjoy a few holiday weekend evening activities and the late morning sleep that follows when your kids body clocks are about an hour behind 'real' time. Tonight, though, it was a return to normalcy.
I'm just so glad we had a great trip . . . and now I'm so glad to be back home. Tomorrow is another day, as Scarlett O'hara says. Tomorrow we'll get back on track. (And yes, for those of you that missed me, I'll get back to blogging!)
Enjoy the photos in the albums linked -- I've added a lot of stuff, including trip pictures and just general pictures of our lives in the "May 2009" album.
 |
| Iowa/Kansas May 2009 |
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Because I Know Many of You Can Relate
Kate seemed hot when she woke up bright and early this morning. She was a little cranky. I now know -- thanks to the pediatrician visit yesterday -- that teeth are eminent, so I gave her some Motrin.
Meg woke up her usual cranky crabby self. The morning was not fun, by any means. By 10:30am, she had a temperature of 100.0, so I gave her Motrin.
I gave Kate her second dose of Motrin before afternoon nap, which was about 6 hours after her first dose. The doctor recommended pre-nap and pre-bedtime Motrin to help her sleep better as those teeth push their way through.
Meg's fever was gone after her first dose of meds, and it stayed away most of the day. Dare it say it . . . she was tolerable to be around once she seemed to feel better. At about 3:30pm, the whining returned and I noticed she was hot . . . and then discovered the fever was back slightly at 99.3. I waited, and at 4:30pm it was 101.7. Dose two of Motrin for Meg.
Before bed, I gave a cranky Kate her 3 allowance of Motrin. Meg can't have any more until at least 10:30pm, but I have the bottle in her room ready to go if she wakes up needing it.
If you are a mom out there, I know you can relate to this. Of course the doctors said nothing was wrong with these girls on our visit yesterday . . . yet they both are still feverish and moderately miserable today. Oh well. When it doubt, load them up with Motrin and hope it helps.
Meg woke up her usual cranky crabby self. The morning was not fun, by any means. By 10:30am, she had a temperature of 100.0, so I gave her Motrin.
I gave Kate her second dose of Motrin before afternoon nap, which was about 6 hours after her first dose. The doctor recommended pre-nap and pre-bedtime Motrin to help her sleep better as those teeth push their way through.
Meg's fever was gone after her first dose of meds, and it stayed away most of the day. Dare it say it . . . she was tolerable to be around once she seemed to feel better. At about 3:30pm, the whining returned and I noticed she was hot . . . and then discovered the fever was back slightly at 99.3. I waited, and at 4:30pm it was 101.7. Dose two of Motrin for Meg.
Before bed, I gave a cranky Kate her 3 allowance of Motrin. Meg can't have any more until at least 10:30pm, but I have the bottle in her room ready to go if she wakes up needing it.
If you are a mom out there, I know you can relate to this. Of course the doctors said nothing was wrong with these girls on our visit yesterday . . . yet they both are still feverish and moderately miserable today. Oh well. When it doubt, load them up with Motrin and hope it helps.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Of course . . .
Everyone is fine.
Now, can someone help explain the horrible behavior? Kate -- okay, I get it. She's teething. The dr said all of her congestion (and they did agree it's pretty bad) could be teeth-related. She is just about to pop the top two front teeth, that much was confirmed. Kate's behavior has a reason.
But Meg? UGH. They said maybe she is fighting something . . . maybe the pollen is bothering her, maybe she has a touch of a cold that is making her crabby. Still, no solid diagnosis that would give me a real reason for her acting out these last few days.
This sounds awful, but I almost wish there HAD been something wrong with Meg. At least then I could point to that something as the cause for her terrible behavior. I would never wish my kid sick, don't get me wrong. If you are mom out there reading this, I think you know what I mean. I just want a reason so that I can attack the problem with more confidence! I've been wondering for days if I was arguing with a sick kid . . . but she's not sick . . . so I'm just arguing with a terrible two-yr old, I guess.
Anyway, please keep your fingers crossed that Meg and Kate make it through the evening and night without forcing me to jump off of our roof top.
Oh -- and where is Jim during all of this, you ask? Charlotte, NC. Enjoy your next few good night's sleeps and your mornings in peace, hubby . . . when we meet you in Iowa on Friday, I'm on vacation.
Now, can someone help explain the horrible behavior? Kate -- okay, I get it. She's teething. The dr said all of her congestion (and they did agree it's pretty bad) could be teeth-related. She is just about to pop the top two front teeth, that much was confirmed. Kate's behavior has a reason.
But Meg? UGH. They said maybe she is fighting something . . . maybe the pollen is bothering her, maybe she has a touch of a cold that is making her crabby. Still, no solid diagnosis that would give me a real reason for her acting out these last few days.
This sounds awful, but I almost wish there HAD been something wrong with Meg. At least then I could point to that something as the cause for her terrible behavior. I would never wish my kid sick, don't get me wrong. If you are mom out there reading this, I think you know what I mean. I just want a reason so that I can attack the problem with more confidence! I've been wondering for days if I was arguing with a sick kid . . . but she's not sick . . . so I'm just arguing with a terrible two-yr old, I guess.
Anyway, please keep your fingers crossed that Meg and Kate make it through the evening and night without forcing me to jump off of our roof top.
Oh -- and where is Jim during all of this, you ask? Charlotte, NC. Enjoy your next few good night's sleeps and your mornings in peace, hubby . . . when we meet you in Iowa on Friday, I'm on vacation.
Tuesday's Child . . .
I'm taking both children to the pediatirican today. Meg is just horribly behaved again today, and I can't help but wonder if something is physcially wrong that could cause that kind of attitude. Kate was up for quite a while early in the am coughing and whining, which makes me think possibly an ear infection for her. Both girls have been feverish on and off for the past several days . . . I just can't take it any more.
It's worth the $30 in co-pays to hear the doctor say, "Nope, they are perfectly healthy . . ." At least then when we leave for Iowa on Friday, I'll know I just have one brat and one teether . . . not 2 sick kids.
I'll keep you posted . . .
It's worth the $30 in co-pays to hear the doctor say, "Nope, they are perfectly healthy . . ." At least then when we leave for Iowa on Friday, I'll know I just have one brat and one teether . . . not 2 sick kids.
I'll keep you posted . . .
Monday, May 11, 2009
Dear Ms. Anne and Ms. Keisha
Dear Ms. Anne and Ms. Keisha,
My mom would like me to apologize for how I behaved at our lunch playdate this morning. Really, I think I shocked my own mother with my horrible fits and incessant whining during our visit. I've never really acted like that before . . . at least not out in public. My mom hopes that this will be my one and only display for a crowd . . . it was a pretty miserable ride home, so I know I must have done something really wrong.
I was even a little shocked at my own behavior. I guess I'm just testing my boundaries . . . seeing if my mom really means what she says. And, I'm learning that she does. I had no birthday cake today to celebrate your birthday, Ms. Anne. I wish I had acted better so I could have enjoyed the yummy ice cream cake. And, Ms. Keisha, I didn't even get a chance to tell you THANKS for having us over and for all the special treats you gave me. My mom rushed us all out the door so fast at 1 o'clock because she just couldn't deal with me for one more second. I'm sorry I caused such a problem, and I'm sorry that I missed out on a really good time. My mom is even MORE sorry that she didn't get to spend even a few minutes talking to her friends because she was so busy dealing with her kids. I made it a pretty miserable morning for everyone involved. I'm sorry for that.
My poor mother . . . she's been dealing with some real attitude from me lately. I guess that turning 3 means that the 'terrible twos' are over, but it appears that I am only just beginning. I wasn't a bad two year old, honestly. However, if being 3 continues to be as bad as it's been the past few weeks (and -- actually -- I'm technically still 2 until June), my mom might need some heavy medication. Or she might become an alcoholic. I'm not sure exactly what either of those things mean, but I don't think it's good.
To top it all off -- my little sister is working on some new teeth. She's a classic 'baby teether' . . . runny nose, poopy pants, cranky attitude, drooly, sleep interruptions. We know the teeth are coming, it's just a matter of when. I guess my terrible attitude and my sister's teeth related fussiness has created the Perfect Storm of misery around here for my mom.
My mother really did intend on having a good time today. She was looking forward to it all weekend . . . she even made a special trip to TCBY for the yummy cake I didn't get to eat. She wanted to talk to you, Ms. Anne, about how life is with baby, how you like staying at home . . . and she wanted to talk to you, Ms. Keisha, about your summer plans and when we could all play together again. I kinda ruined it all . . . I kept having to be sent to Time Out and I kept complaining about everything . . . my mom pretty much talked to nobody and then had to leave because she couldn't take it any more.
Yes, I was tired. For whatever reason, I was up for about 2 HOURS in the middle of the night last night. My parents were NOT happy about that. And yes, I'm only 2. I am learning what my mom will and won't tolerate, and I'm still a little kid at times. But even still . . . there is no excuse for my behavior. Believe me, my mom has been telling me that over and over since we left your house.
My mom called my dad at 1:30 pm to see how early he could come home from work. She needs the relief. As I mentioned, I've been quite a pill for SEVERAL days now, so I think Mom is reaching her limit. Dad can't come home early, so my mom is just going to have to deal with me (and Kate) for the afternoon and pray that the traffic doesn't keep Daddy away any longer than absolutely necessary. It's been a long day already, and it's only nap time.
Anyway, sorry again for how I behaved. I hope I only ruined my mom's visit, not everyone else's, too. Hopefully the next time you are in town, Ms. Anne, my mom can take you out WITHOUT me. She'd really like that . . . she has found that outings sans children are better for her if she actually wants to enjoy adult time.
Thanks for having us, Ms. Keisha. Please tell Kendall and Tanner I'm sorry and that I hope to see them again soon. Let's go to the pool here in a few weeks . . . maybe then I'll be preoccupied and you and my mom can do a little more visiting. And Ms. Anne . . . my mom said next time she sees you and Jack, she wants to HOLD that cute little boy . . . she didn't even have a chance to today!
With many apologies and much love,
Meg Dahlby
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Happy Mother's Day
I love Mother's Day. Around here, I affectionately refer to it as 'Employee Appreciation Day' -- since I don't have a job or an annual review, Mother's Day fills the role as the day I get appreciated for all that I do. I take FULL advantage of the holiday. I don't care if it was created by Hallmark or not . . . I just love that I get a day of appreciation for being a mom.
Mother's Day 2009 started with Jim bringing me some coffee in bed . . . a very nice gesture, which I thanked him for as I rolled over and promptly went back to sleep. Sleeping in was the real present. I drank the coffee a while later when I woke up.
A little before 9am, Meg, Jim, and Kate brought me breakfast in bed. Meg had been so very excited about this -- I think she has been looking forward to it since the last time we had breakfast in bed, which was last Mother's Day.
"Happy Birthday!" Meg said with excitement, as she kissed my cheek to wake me up.
I laughed -- close enough, Meg. I'll take a 'Happy Birthday' wish on Mother's Day. I know what she meant.
Unfortunately, even the glory and thrill of Mother's Day could not stop Meg from being . . . well, Meg. She's only 2.9 years old (I'm constantly reminding myself). The terrible twos are still hanging on around here . . . and they seem to have really flared up lately. So -- when her caterpillar shaped pancake fell to pieces as she picked it up to eat it -- prompting Meg to immediately fall to pieces herself -- I wasn't that surprised. She began to throw quite a fit about the disintegrating pancake (a fit that included some flying syrup), which ended the breakfast in bed treat before it really even began. I ate my breakfast in bed, she went to her room.
And Kate? She came into the room with the breakfast tray but was not really 'into' the whole breakfast idea. She had already eaten her breakfast at that point, and she was ready for a morning nap. Or at least that's what we we thought . . . Jim went ahead and put her down for a nap a little earlier than her usual time, and she proceeded to cry and protest for about 45 minutes.
Oh well. So much for my breakfast in bed. Maybe we'll try again next year. :)
I did get to run out and do a little shopping . . . Jim gave me a Victoria's Secret gift card to spend. The gift was really from Kate. After nursing her for nearly a year, I was in serious need of some new (non-nursing!) bras. I got some lovely ones . . . now just about a month or so more of nursing, and then I can wear them every day.
Getting to shop alone was another awesome present. See? I'm not high maintenance . . . some extra sleep and some time to myself are the things I have treasured most this Mother's Day.
Of course, Mother's Day also makes me stop, think about, and appreciate the two lovely ladies that allow me to celebrate this holiday in the first place. Really, those are the things I treasure most on Mother's Day.
Mother's Day 2009 started with Jim bringing me some coffee in bed . . . a very nice gesture, which I thanked him for as I rolled over and promptly went back to sleep. Sleeping in was the real present. I drank the coffee a while later when I woke up.
A little before 9am, Meg, Jim, and Kate brought me breakfast in bed. Meg had been so very excited about this -- I think she has been looking forward to it since the last time we had breakfast in bed, which was last Mother's Day.
"Happy Birthday!" Meg said with excitement, as she kissed my cheek to wake me up.
I laughed -- close enough, Meg. I'll take a 'Happy Birthday' wish on Mother's Day. I know what she meant.
Unfortunately, even the glory and thrill of Mother's Day could not stop Meg from being . . . well, Meg. She's only 2.9 years old (I'm constantly reminding myself). The terrible twos are still hanging on around here . . . and they seem to have really flared up lately. So -- when her caterpillar shaped pancake fell to pieces as she picked it up to eat it -- prompting Meg to immediately fall to pieces herself -- I wasn't that surprised. She began to throw quite a fit about the disintegrating pancake (a fit that included some flying syrup), which ended the breakfast in bed treat before it really even began. I ate my breakfast in bed, she went to her room.
And Kate? She came into the room with the breakfast tray but was not really 'into' the whole breakfast idea. She had already eaten her breakfast at that point, and she was ready for a morning nap. Or at least that's what we we thought . . . Jim went ahead and put her down for a nap a little earlier than her usual time, and she proceeded to cry and protest for about 45 minutes.
Oh well. So much for my breakfast in bed. Maybe we'll try again next year. :)
I did get to run out and do a little shopping . . . Jim gave me a Victoria's Secret gift card to spend. The gift was really from Kate. After nursing her for nearly a year, I was in serious need of some new (non-nursing!) bras. I got some lovely ones . . . now just about a month or so more of nursing, and then I can wear them every day.
Getting to shop alone was another awesome present. See? I'm not high maintenance . . . some extra sleep and some time to myself are the things I have treasured most this Mother's Day.
Of course, Mother's Day also makes me stop, think about, and appreciate the two lovely ladies that allow me to celebrate this holiday in the first place. Really, those are the things I treasure most on Mother's Day.
Those girls . . . I love them to bits. As they get bigger, I know they will learn to love Mother's Day, too. Right now, they are only babies, so I can't really expect them to act any differently than they normally do just because its the second Sunday in May.
I won't expect to much . . . I'll just hug them and love on them today. They don't have to express their appreciation for me just yet. I'll hug and love on Jim, too . . . I know he appreciates the day. I know he appreciates the job I do as the mother to our girls. I really do feel appreciated this Mother's Day.
Happy Mother's Day to everyone . . . I hope you feel appreciated at your house, too. In our own ways, we are ALL fantastic mothers. Don't ever tell yourself anything different!
Friday, May 8, 2009
Favorite Photo Friday -- Beach Babies Edition
Kate Allison, Charleson SC, May 2 2009
Totally unedited -- totally unframable -- but so, so funny. THIS is what it is like to try and take pictures of a 10 month old at the beach.
Oh, and here is what you get when you take a nearly-3 yr old and let her play in the sand . . .
Happy Weekend! Happy Mother's Day!!
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Babies Babies Babies
What is it about this time of year that makes it a favorite time of year to have a baby? It seems like there are always a million birthday parties and new births each spring. We are in the thick of it here at our house, that is for sure.
What was going on 10 months ago? Summer? Heat and exhaustion? Not even a big holiday or occasion to pin down the baby making bonanza that leads to so many springtime babies. Maybe it's anniversaries . . . there are a lot of weddings in the summer, so that must be it.
We've been to at least a half-dozen birthday parties since early April . . . all of which were fun celebrations to attend. And now we are in an official baby boom . . . three babies born in the last 3 weeks, and several more to come as May turns into June.
I hold these tiny creatures . . . snuggle them close to me, watch them sleep . . . and know in my heart of hearts that there is at least ONE more Baby Dahlby out there for us. The babies make me want another of my own, they truly do. BUT not so fast . . . they don't make me want to get pregnant right away, don't worry. They actually make me want to go get an IUD so that I can be assured no surprise babies will be born at our house next spring.
Anyway . . . here are some debuts of new babies for our friends. Meet Bridget Francis, Walker Robert, and Connor Brittan (2 photos of each). . .
What was going on 10 months ago? Summer? Heat and exhaustion? Not even a big holiday or occasion to pin down the baby making bonanza that leads to so many springtime babies. Maybe it's anniversaries . . . there are a lot of weddings in the summer, so that must be it.
We've been to at least a half-dozen birthday parties since early April . . . all of which were fun celebrations to attend. And now we are in an official baby boom . . . three babies born in the last 3 weeks, and several more to come as May turns into June.
I hold these tiny creatures . . . snuggle them close to me, watch them sleep . . . and know in my heart of hearts that there is at least ONE more Baby Dahlby out there for us. The babies make me want another of my own, they truly do. BUT not so fast . . . they don't make me want to get pregnant right away, don't worry. They actually make me want to go get an IUD so that I can be assured no surprise babies will be born at our house next spring.
Anyway . . . here are some debuts of new babies for our friends. Meet Bridget Francis, Walker Robert, and Connor Brittan (2 photos of each). . .
Ahhh . . . those sleepy newborns. Such a dream. Expect to see more baby pictures as the boom continues. We still have lots of newbies coming our way! (Robinsons -- you are next!!)
Monday, May 4, 2009
Great Weekend Getaway
We had a great weekend . . . and we had wonderful, fabulous hosts in Charleston that made our stay perfectly awesome. Seriously, the hosts MADE the weekend great. Great weather and great friends in a great location . . . it was bound to be a great weekend.
Incidentally, nobody got carsick -- on the ride to or from SC -- so, like I said, I'm a happy Mommy as far as the travel is concerned. I was so worried about vomit, I think I made myself nauseous for at least the first half of the trip on Friday. When we arrived, I took a deep breath and finally was able to relax about our car travel.
Then, after we unloaded, ate dinner, and were just about to chill out with our friends, I made Meg take some children's Claritin for her puffy, allergy eyes. Almost immediately, she vomited all over the kitchen floor. Isn't that my luck? No puke in the car, but a whole kitchen floor covered because I forced her to take medicine she told me she did not like and did not want to take. Go figure. (At least it was easy clean up.)
The rest of the weekend went off without a hitch. We went to a Dragon Boat race, shopped, went to the beach for some pictures, went out to dinner . . . and just enjoyed time with friends we wish we could see more often. Sunday we left our friends to enjoy their day, and we hit downtown Charleston for just a little looking around and lunch. We were home by bedtime, tired and happy from our weekend away.
Jim said we should do this more often -- just get away for a day or so to places somewhat close to home. I agree . . . but then I think about the work involved in a weekend away . . . and I sometimes shy away from these trips. I look forward to the days when these types of getaways are a little easier. Even if there was some work involved in getting us all (and all of our stuff) to Charleston, it was totally worth it. And Jim is right -- we should do this more often. I always have a lovely time.
Thank you to the Smith Family for having us. We know your lives are so busy -- and we are very grateful that you had ALL of us for the weekend! We hope to see you again soon, and we can't wait to host you here on your next visit to Atlanta.
A few of the beach pictures . . . which I've not edited, but they are cute enough the way they are.
Now back to reality and the life here at home. LOTS of HD Portraits to do this week due to a baby explosion among our friends and neighbors. Three newborn shoots and two family shoots in about 2 weeks time, so I have some catching up (and keeping up) to do.
This upcoming weekend is Mother's Day . . . or, what I call "employee appreciation" day at the Dahlby house. It's a chance for me to be appreciated for the work I do :) Jim and I have chatted about a new pocket camera for Mom as a treat. I'm excited -- another camera for me -- the girls and Jim know me too well. I'm sure some work will go into the decision on that gift as this week goes on.
Back to regular life for me . . . with visions of sunny Charleston dancing in my head.
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