Happy 9-Month Birthday!!

It took 9 months to conceive you, 9 months to grow and meet you, and now here you are 9 months old.  You are such a chill baby, making this second child thing all the more easy.  Happy 9 months, sweet pea!

Happenings for the month:

• ADubXX is a professional eater.  It's almost like she's been doing it her whole life.  She will pick up a piece of food transfer it to the other hand, then return it to the original hand, before landing it directly on target, her mouth.  Show off.
• She is still not crawling but does get up on all fours to rock and reach for a toy but then return to sitting.  We are okay with this, as we still don't have baby gates for the stairs yet.
• Yes, there are moments when she does not smile, but that actually doesn't happen very often.  She constantly seeks stranger's attention out in public only to give them the. cutest. smile. ever.
• ADubXX has started to say "da-da-da-da-da-da-da" and "ma-ma-ma" and "ya-ya-ya".  She is basically fluent in English already.  Starting on Spanish next week.
• She loves to play catch and throw with both her daddy, brother, and doggies, and oftentimes this game results in mega giggles.
• ADubXX loves to hold mommy or daddy's hands and walk, ahem, stumble around the room.  She may walk before she crawls....

We travel lightly these days.

Snack time after 5 miles of hiking up, up, and a little more up.

She laughed when her brother wiped out on the trail.

The views in Rocky Mountain National Park were breathtaking....so much so that ADubXX fell asleep.

I had my hiking buddy with me when things got a little rocky.

Where water chooses to travel toward the Atlantic or the Pacific.

Talk about having your head in the clouds.

Checking out the USS Texas before she leaves Houston for repairs.

The old hat trick.

Everyone knows about the Cheerio smile.  They make everyone happy!

Getting ready to catch a plane.

Soccer and baseball fields are where she spends most of her time lately.

Remembering 9/11 and already teaching the kiddos about it.  Red, white, and blue.

Waiting around for our head scan at the helmet appointment.

Sweet potato?

But seriously....she might be the coolest kid.  (Don't tell her brother I said that)

Must be hump day!

This is how she rolls.

Harvey just wants the ball, and ADubXX has no clue she has a toy suction cupped to her helmet.

Our attempt at a family photo....at least we matched?

Teaching these kiddos some manners at a fancy brunch spot.  We left a huge pile of food on the floor, compliments of ADubXX.

My little adventures.

Happy 8-Month Birthday!!

Our beautiful ADubXX is 8 months old today.  I have had a couple overwhelming moments lately where my perfectionist personality cannot handle being a parent.  Half the time I feel like I am robotically going through my day-to-day motions because there are so many things to do that I just hit auto-pilot (wash bottles, prep breakfasts, feed dogs, etc.).  However, little miss ADubXX (and her brother) break me out of this and remind me daily that this parenting thing is completely, totally, utterly worth every single stinkin' moment.  I wouldn't change it for the world.  Happy Birthday, sweet pea!

Accomplishments this month:

• This girl loves to dance, sing, and clap.  Her favorite class at school is music class where she shows all of her fellow classmates up with the the rattles.  She can play a mean rattle!
• ADubXX has started eating even more solid foods.  As a matter of fact, her brother has even been impressed for her ability to pick up a Cheerio, transfer it to her mouth, and successfully eat it.  Now that is talent.
• She sleeps through the night even more and more...as in, we might be into a serious pattern of allowing mom to sleep every night.  Although mom isn't quite sure what to do with so much sleep.
• Her favorite thing in the whole wide world is to stand.  She can be in the fussiest mood, and you just have to stand her up for a complete mood change.
• ADubXX has started to use her sign language.  "Finished" can be so dramatic that it can actually knock the spoon right out of your hand throwing food across the room.  (Thank goodness for pups).
• Unlike our first baby, ADubXX loves to sit in her high chair when eating out.  Her brother could only be in it for all of 2 seconds before he needed to be up and moving around.  Now I am not sure what to do with all of this time while eating.  As in, do we need to rush through our meal?  Can we just sit there after we are finished?  So different.

And now for the photographic (or not so photographic) moments:

Clearly it was Wednesday, and we have to wear pink on Wednesday's.

Ring around the rosie.

Playing with some buddies.  Don't ask why brother is just in his undies.

Hangin out at a brewery...

....and taking silly pics.  We try to match as often as possible.

Brother was so excited for this exact moment.  When baby sister got to sit in the second cart seat at Costco.

My kiddos.

So maybe not the best pic of ADubXX but I had to document the usage of our double stroller.

Do you think he could hold one more child?

Play time!

Riding her very first unicorn.

She loves her nightly baths.

They matched.

They matched again.  (Dinosaur...nom nom)

Enjoying a little girl time while brother and daddy were away.

Photo shoot in the dress that mommy wore 32 years ago.

Those. Blue. Eyes.

Honey, you have something on your face.  But you are oh so adorable.

Can we fit anymore into this chair?

Cheese.

My little adventures.

Happy 7-Month Birthday!!

Today, ADubXX is celebrating her 7-month birthday.  At this point, I finally feel like we are completely used to having another human being in our family, and oh is it sweet.  Her personality fits into our little chaotic world so perfectly, and she certainly lifts everyone up with her smile.  Happy Birthday, sweet pea!

Her accomplishments for the month:

• She is very vocal, practicing all of her sounds constantly, only in preparation to talk our ears off.  Every bit of food she takes is followed by a "mmmmh."  Every moment without attention is followed by a high squeal and the sweetest smile.
• ADubXX absolutely loves when her brother is around.  Oftentimes, I am worried that she will tear right out of my arms to chase after him, only to realize that she can merely roll to get from here to there.
• Only just recently did ADubXX figure out the drop and pickup game.  If I wasn't multitasking before, I certainly am now.  Every meal, I am trying to have an adult conversation with my husband, telling my son to eat more of his veggies, feeding myself, and yes, picking up toys/napkins/food lids that have been dropped on the floor.  Life is so relaxing.
• She prefers to be laid in her crib at bedtime rather than rocked to sleep.  This is something that I've only though existed in fairy tales.  Turns out, it is not.
• The girl completely dislikes green beans and peas.  BUT momma can still outsmart her by hiding them in apples.  I will only be able to trick her for so long before my cover (or the peas and broccoli cover) is blown.
• ADubXX flaps her arms whenever she is in complete utter excitement....I tell her that she's going to fly away if she's not careful.
• Just this past weekend, we witnessed our little girl dancing for the first time, and baby girl has got rhythm.  I mean her main move is the bounce up and down, but she certainly can find the beat.

Say Cheese!

#modelface 

Just waiting for ADubXY to get his darned shoes on.

Mommy thinks she's so funny with her Dirty Dancing onesie.

Lizzy, my protector.

Harvey, my lap dog.

July 4th was a success.  I slept through all of the fireworks!

XOXO

ADubXY wanted no part in this picture.

First stroller ride.

First cart ride.

Pool time, which essentially means suck-on-rings time.

First follow-up appointment after receiving the helmet....no change as of yet.

First selfie.

Yes, they are both wearing batman clothes.

Relaxing after a long day at school.

Awkward pose.

Do you think they look alike?

Working our way into the NASCAR scene.

That is a lap full of a lot of love.

These two are a life-changer.  I love it.

ADubXX pancake. (no babies were harmed in the making)

Squash teether?  It might sell for millions.

My heart.

Blue eyes laughing in the sun
Laughing in the rain
Baby's got blue eyes
And I am home, and I am home again
-Elton John