Unplugged

Genivieve has always been such a great baby, never fussy, good sleeper and happy all day. When we got home from the hospital we gave her a pacifier and it seemed to sooth her well between feedings and allow me to heal from being the human pacifier while we we in the hospital for two days when she was born.

I must say, I loved that thing as much as she did. It made life a whole lot easier. She was a dream to sleep train (it took no effort on my part). I was ready for the long haul, and prepared to plug my ears while she cried it out. First try, I put her to bed drowsy, gave kisses and walked out. No crying, that was it. Dream baby I tell you!

So when she turned one I got comments about getting rid of the pacifier which we now lovingly called her "plug". I just didn't know how to do this while weaning her. So at 14 months she was weaned and that was again painless. When we went to the dentist at 15 months she said the plug should be gone by 18 months. What! I was so sick being pregnant and didn't think Genivieve would understand why it was gone. So we waited...

Now my baby is really becoming a big girl and is talking up a storm and has a long term memory. With the encouragement of a few friends on facebook who were getting rid of their kids plugs, I decided it was time. Her plug no longer soothed her, she would still cry with it and I'm not really sleeping much at this point in the pregnancy so it was now or never.

Thursday night, Dec 20th I took the scissors to the end of her plug and sniped a small hole it the tip of one. She accepted that it didn't work and just wanted to snuggle with Daddy in our bed. Then nap time came the next day and Daddy was not home, she cried for 20mins. It was really hard for me to stay strong, but she slept for 3 hours (an hour more than usual) and Friday night she cried for an hour but nothing hysterical just "Mama, Dada..." I left to run errands while Daddy stayed home. I can't listen to it, its too hard.

It has been such a busy week with late nights and not being home so it worked out great. She has been so exhausted she crashes no mater what. Today she didn't even fuss at nap time! Victory goes to Mama and Dada!  Goodbye plug! You have been good to us but I am glad to see you go before we see her second birthday! 

Christmas Preperations

It will be a rather simple Christmas this year, not much under the Tree, but we are celebrating big around here. We put up our little tree early to  soak up some holiday magic. Watching G wake up that morning to come out and find the tree was so fun! She exclaimed "pretty tree!" Genivieve has really taken to the holiday spirit, she demands "singing"  and "hat", translation the Christmas station on Pandora and her reindeer antlers. She spends her days prancing around the living room listening to Christmas music and it is the cutest thing to watch.

Genivieve is growing so fast! I can't not believe that in one month she will be 2! Last month I bought 18m and 24m clothes for her and they were big, now she really need 2t. What?! My kid has NEVER had this kind of growth spurt. We just packed up clothes she has been wearing since January in September, she wore them for nine months! It's unbelievable! She is talking so well and is very loving. She is obsessed with owls and watching videos of them flying on you tube. Yes, very strange. She is becoming a Daddy's girl more and more each day and I try not to get jealous. He is pretty great, so I see why she loves him so much. 

I love the magic in the air this time of year and making family traditions. Everything is really more fun with children and I can't believe we will had another one here in 10 weeks or so.... 

Someone mus of known we were having fun, she work up to join the fun.

late night baking and frosting date

who doesn't love baby cheeks?

Meeting cousin Emerie, so small and sweet

Had fun at Costco one morning with friends

She is my child, dressing up baby in real shoes!

felt tree that the elf's had too much fun making

getting good use out of the her Christmas dress

November

This months has been full of being thankful. I am so thankful for a sweet little girl I get to call mine, A body that will allow me to carry a child (even though its ridiculously painful), a hard working and handsome husband and an extended family on both sides that is so supportive. While it may not appear to some that we have much, we have more than enough in the areas that matter. HOW GRATEFUL I AM THAT FAMILIES ARE FOREVER.

First sleepover. Cousin A came over, we painted nails, ate brownies and went to the Zoo.

28 weeks. Third and final trimester!

Halloween Celebrations

October was a busy Month. The temperatures finally dropped to the 70-80's during the day so we have been enjoying living in an AC free house. Lots of fresh air and cleaning. It is so fun spending all day on walks, at the playground and trips to the PHX Zoo.

Genivieve is learning and growing so much everyday. Her vocabulary has skyrocketed. Some of her new words are: apple, Abby (from Sesame Street), Mlmo (Elmo), Autumn, Owl, Connie (my Mom) Cold, out and mor I am sure. She is alos starting to piece sentences together and I am amazed at how much she remembers. She will talk about things from a few days or weeks ago.

Pumpkin carving time, Daddy takes these things very seriously

She loved Trick-or Treating! and would say Tank you about ten times down the driveway.

pumpkin carved Halloween night.

Sonic had $.50 Corn dogs so we had a girls lunch out. G ate her naked dog.

Our Ward Carnival. 

 

 

 

Our ward had the best Carnival with the traditional Chili cook-off and sides. A photo booth and carnival games in each room and we sure loved watching G enjoy herself when she played each game. This little one is a HUGE fan of Halloween. But I guess everyone in my family is, Happy 30th wedding Anniversary to Pappa and Connie!

Fall Traditions

I love fall and the crisp air that you get to experience everywhere except this desert. I do miss the color change and the crunch of the leaves as you walk down the street, but I love making traditions. So while we are stuck here in the desert we are still going to celebrate this magical season!

Last year we found this great sable and pumpkin patch to take Miss Genivieve to for her first fall experience so back we went this year! They have pony rides for the kids, face painting, a bounce house, a tracker pull barrel ride, petting zoo and a Hay ride out to the pumpkin patch! If you are thinking that sounds like a pretty authentic fall outing, you are right. It was a little warm but we managed to enjoy ourselves.  Genivieve was afraid of almost everything this year, but she did enjoy picking out her pumpkin. Next year we get to bring baby brother along for his first trip!

who made it all the way through the hay maze?

your turn to pick a pumpkin!

Hooray for being out of the triple digit weather and going outside. Happy pumpkin hunting!

Baby #2

We are so excited to be having another baby. I took a test on Fathers Day and got to wake Brent up with the news that he is going to be a Daddy of two! It was so fun to all curl up in bed and talk about the new baby!

From the very beginning this pregnancy has been so widely different from mine with Genivieve. I have been so violently ill from 6 weeks to 17 weeks. It was horrible, but a blur all at the same time. I don't know how I survived that. My house is in shambles and Brent has had to do it all while I fought to take care of G while he was away. For the last two days I am starting to feel a little more energy but I still don't like food.

While Pregnant with G: Got sick at 9-15weeks but mostly just dizzy a nauseous and puked maybe twice.  Gained A LOT of weight.

• Red meat. hamburgers and Stake ( I was a vegetarian then.)
• sweets
• soda
• chocolate
• Tomatoes
• hated veggies and yogurt and bread

 While pregnant with Baby #2 sick 6-17 weeks puked 4-6 times a day (yes a day!) and lost 10 lbs in that time.

• love cucombers
• hummus
• baked potatoes
• can't eat sweets, meat basically I really hate all food. 

I wondered if this was a boy because of how drastically different I felt but for some people they feel different with each pregnancy despite the gender. I didn't have a feeling one way or another as to what this little one was so we were both anxiously awaiting to find out. Brent was hoping for a boy so "the pressure was off" he was afraid he was going to be outnumbered like he was growing up with only sisters.  So you can only imagine his celebration when he saw on the screen and the doctor declared that it was indeed a Boy!

week two of the terrible two's

Genivieve was a dream baby. Great sleeper, didn't really cry and when she did it was more of a whimper.  She really was an all around joy to mother. Then she turned 20 months and I am constantly taking a deep breath, saying a silent prayer and just trying to muster the patience to deal with each meltdown. I was to be a loving, yet firm parent and enjoy this time, but that is becoming increasingly more difficult. I have never experienced this terrible two stage for this extended amount of time, but when our little girl starts something boy does she commit to it! This was the part I feared most about motherehood from being a nanny, I don't get to leave at the end of the day!

I know this is a phase and perhaps it is my added pregnancy hormones but sometimes I break down too, its hard to deal with melt-downs over every.single.thing! But a good cry cleanses the soul.  I am so exhausted at the end of every day. I love being a mother, I love being Genivieve's mother, but most days I have to remind myself of that a thousand times a day.

So when Brent is home on the weekends I declare myself off-duty! Last Saturday I decided I needed to get a new hobby, one that would require my brain to focus, something that would keep my hands and head busy. I needed a release and some good craft therapy. So I called the most positive person I know, my mother, and headed to the fabric store. She taught me how to sew, again and this time I succeeded! I now know why so many mothers sew! 

Sweet girl, come back to me, I miss you! Until then I'll be at my parents sewing!

Weekend get-a-way

Brent's sister Andrea moved out to LA last year. While we do miss having her and Travis here with us in Scottsdale it is pretty great having a fun place to go visit and escape the Arizona heat. This was our second trip, the first was when Genivieve was almost three months old. We got to LA late at night but stayed up and talked until early in the morning. Genivieve was a champ at the strange hours we kept, waking up at 10 am napping from 4-7pm and  eating dinner at 9 sometimes 10pm and putting her to bed at midnight. Travis and Andrea kept her so entertained she didn't care much about her schedule. She really is a dream first child. I'm sure this won't be easy to pull off with the next child. 

Saturday we headed to the temple while Auntie Andrea and Uncle Travis watched G. It was so nice to get a break and spend time together. The LA temple is HUGE, absolutely gorgeous and it is our favorite date! I had been sick all morning, so excuse my colorless face morning, sickness doesn't look good on anyone.

G giving her first recital, she loved Aunties piano!

 

That evening we headed to The Grove which is an awesome farmers market. It was a pregnant woman's nightmare with all the different smells in one place, but it was great to walk around in the chilly night air. Can't wait to go back when I can enjoy all that yummy food!

Someone found all of her friends at the toy store. It's a shame they were $30 each.

They bought this fun elephant game, she was thrilled

getting instructions on how to catch the butterflys.

She sure loved Aunite Andrea and Uncle Travis

We always love our visits and it is so fun to watch Genivieve enjoy herself. Even tough I was sick every morning except for the morning we left, I had a blast. There is nothing like a cool breeze and getting outside to help me escape the cabin fever I've developed this summer.  Next post the Santa Monica Beach!

Some BIG News

Genivieve is going to be a BIG SISTER by March 2013. We are all so excited for a little baby to come join our family! While her face does no really express her joy in this pictures, I am pretty sure Vieve is going to love having a real baby in our home all day! This little girl, like her parents, loves babies and can't get enough! I'm so glad I'll have a little helper and ever more excited for a friend for Vieve. What are your guesses, will it be a boy or girl?

20 Months

We finally got Miss G back to the Dr for a well check-up, at least we were only two months behind. She is now 33in (75%) and 21lbs (10%). She does not like getting her head measured and is not a fan of anyone getting close, but she was a real champ for her four shots. I wanted to get a pic of her and her Dr for her baby book but I always forget. We also went to the dentist, but she wouldn't get off my lap so again no pics. I don't know why this makes me so sad, I'm sure its weird. The new dentist is fantastic and gave G her first professional cleaning. They said her teeth look strong and healthy and that we had been brushing well. This was a relief for me because I was afraid we hadn't been getting a good brushing in because she is not a fan and puts up a good fight! So again, our Nut is is good health and another huge sigh for this Mama.

Brent's sister Andrea wanted some updated pictures of G so she arranged for a photoshoot. Thanks Aunti! Her last professional pictures where at 14months so it was high time for an update. Here is a little preview of our little girl who is not really a baby anymore. 

August brought another hot month, I'm really getting tired for burning alive walking out the front door. I cant wait for winter and spending copious amounts of time in the fresh air. August has brought lots of changes in our family. Brent is now a full-time student at ASU and working occasional side jobs. He is swamped with school work but he is doing so well and loves learning. We are all adjusting to the schedule but it is a HUGE blessing that he can focus so much of his time and energy on his studies. Genivieve and I are so proud of him! He wouldn't allow the traditional "first day of school picture" so sorry you all missed out on that cuteness!

Ice cream tastes best when you snag it from Dad.

G got a big girl bed in her room and loves it!

While the boys went camping Meg and I had a movie night with the kids.

it was 90 and humid, I was in heaven so we had a Pizza picnic at the park

G loved ducks and says "quack quack" while feeding the ducks. 

Its been a busy month of errands now that I have a car again because Brent bikes to school. We have really enjoyed our reclaimed freedom and are living it up!

July, Our Big 18 Month Old

Genivieve is now 18 months and it feels like she is so grown up. She is such a great helper and always wants to do what Mom and Dad are doing. Her vocabulary has flourished. Some of her favorites are Hi, eye, Bye, Hello (heyo), baby, Here you go (but it is one word coming out of her mouth), hot, No and Hi Dad. She can say Nose, mouth, eye and ear as well as point to each. She is a barrel of laugh but has some true sass. She absolutely loves music and is a dancing fool. She loves Adele's song "someone like you", and the moment she hears it she will stop and get a serious look and start to sing the whole thing. It is too cute! I will have to post a video, but it is best experienced in person. To some up our little girl, she is our pride and joy. We oow and aah over her all day and after she goes to bed at night she is all we talk about. I know, first-time parents. Thanks for being the best entertainment in the last 18 months!

Everything is all about that purple baby! G is such a good Mommy

I think her favorite place is Trader Joe's

We sure love going to the toy store!

Our evening trips to B&N to read and play with the trains. Free AC!

cutest water girl around

She is a Target lover

Genivieve found this baby car seat and lugged it all over Target. She would occasionally stop to unbuckle the baby, pick her up and pat her back while looking examining the aisle. Priceless! She is a natural mom.

Snapshots of June

First ponytail, she is officially a little girl, not a baby.

We celebrated our Anniversary

Brent's Grandma Black celebrated her 80th birthday in Show Low, so after we visited the Snowflake Temple

Papa had a birthday, so we celebrated that too

G loves to sit on the stool like a big girl for snack