What happened on Abby's 2nd Birthday

Abby woke up this morning a full hour before Alma, I got her right away ( I usually let them both play in their cribs for 30 min - or as long as they're happy). I'd been waiting, listening for her to wake up. I got her up, brought her into my room (where her bike was) she started playing with it, and I crawled back into bed (I'm pregnant, so I'm not letting myself feel guilty about this). She played for a good 20 minutes and then we made breakfast, pancakes with blueberries... I even gave her syrup today! Checked on Alma, tried waking him up, but he was out cold (usually if I start talking to him about eating while he's asleep he'll wake up. today it didn't work).

So Abby and I sat down for breakfast, just the two of us. She ate a banana with the peel peeled back (instead of detached) for the first time today! (she was sooo excited... it's the little things) Alma woke up halfway through breakfast and pounded 1.5 bananas and 4 pancakes before Abby finished her 3/4 banana and 3 pancakes... this is a lot for her , but pretty average for him.

After breakfast we read books played with the trike/walking toy (Abby got a walking toy for her birthday last year and just became okay with Alma using it on Sunday- after she got her new trike) for a couple hours until it was time for naps.

When it was time for their second naps, I let Abby stay up. We made a new necklace, bracelet and tutu for her. It was really fun to see her take part in all of it, and watching her excitement grow as she watched everything come together. Once we finished the necklace and bracelet, she wrapped her old necklace around her 'empty' wrist so she would have a bracelet for each hand. I took her over to the mirror and she was so proud of herself! It was really cute... She kept waving and would watch the bracelets move around on her arm.

When Alma woke up, we hopped into the car, ran by McDonald's and headed to the park (I was feeling guilty that I hadn't gotten the kids out of the house yet, and really didn't want to make dinner). We had a picnic, complete with blanket, wicker basket, and HUGE ants. Abby was really brave, there was an ant crawling on her shirt and she stayed really still and said (while slowly turning towards me "Mom?... MOM?". We ate pretty quick, packed up even quicker, put the basket up on a park bench and played on the swings until the Birthday Girl was about ready to fall asleep.

Then we came home, played with the trike some more, wrestled with mom, read scriptures, and went to bed... It was a good day :)

Our Baby Girl is 2

So, today is Miss Abigail Irene's 2nd Birthday! (pictures to come... really!)

I really can't believe it. She's growing up so fast.

On Saturday, Tyaler and Abby went out on their very first "Daddy-Daughter Date" (have to admit I was a little bit jealous, but got to have lots of fun with Alma while they were gone). They went to Jason's Deli for Lunch, Abby picked a little at her food, and then ate the ice cream cone really well. Then they went to Target where Abigail got to pick out her very first bike. She went straight for a really ugly one first (this is according to tyler, so it's not an exaggeration), it was all set up and ready to go, so she hopped on. Tyler found a better one that is amazing... almost as good as a car!

This bike (tricycle) has a bunch of buttons that play music, beep, turn the bike/car on, fill it up with gas... it even has turning signals! Only bummer is that it's pink, purple and covered with princesses (I know I'm kinda weird, just don't like all the branding). Anyway, at least the princesses dance and the castle spins right?

Tyler put the trike together on Saturday night, and Sunday after church we celebrated Abby's Birthday. Tyler showed her the bike when she got up from her nap and she spent the rest of the sitting on it and playing with all of the buttons. On the box it says for ages 24 months+, but it lied.. Abby's a little taller than average, but her feet don't quite reach the pedals...she doesn't seem to mind. She spent most of today sitting on that bike again and walking it around all through the apartment. Glad Tyler got her something that she likes so well.

Toots

So, on Monday I was sitting on the couch with Abby and tooted. It was quiet, didn't make a sound, and didn't have a strong smell, but you could tell what it was. After a couple seconds Abigail cocks her head, points to my bottom and says "stinky?". Then she runs away (it wasn't that bad... I promise!). Comes back with a diaper and hands it to me while saying "stinky" again.

Guess she thought that I should fix it :)

What our week consist of

Over the last few weeks we've finally started to fall into somewhat of a weekly routine and thought that I might as well post it seemings this is going to be what the kids will have to look back on their childhood.

Sunday:

The kids usually wake up around 9. Tyler will usually get them up and start getting breakfast ready. I straggle out to help feed them (Alma).

Around 9:30 they're getting into the tub for baths, and by 9:45 one of us (usually Tyler) is dressing them while the other one (me) is showering. We switch (around 10) and Tyler hops in the shower while I get dressed and do their hair (Alma's gets gelled into a mohawk/fauxhawk, while Abby's usually goes into pigtails with a ridiculously large flower/bow) and put Alma's shoes and socks on- this takes talent, we call him "the ninja"for good reason. At some point Abby gets spritzed with perfume because I'm usually holding her when I put it on (didn't realize this was going on until Tyler pointed it out to me).

On a good day we're out the door and on our way to Church by 10:30 (unbelievable, but it really has happened- twice!). I hurry and do my hair and make-up in the car, and more often than not I'm putting on my mascara as we pull into the church parking lot(this reminds me...we need to tint the windows asap).

Church starts at 11 (right when they'd usually be going down for naps) and they're sometimes okay until talks begin. We spend lots of Sundays in the foyer, but if I have enough cheerios and fruit snacks, and the people sitting behind us are entertaining we might make it through the whole meeting.

Abby goes to nursery at 12:15 and Alma comes to class with us where he promptly falls asleep. He'll wake up around 1 when I get up to go to RS, and then plays with toys on the floor with the other babies.

We grab both kids and get them home and napping by 2:30. Once or twice a month we'll have a family over for dinner or go over for dinner, but the rest of the days are just pretty lazy. We'll go on a walk around the park or just stay in and play with toys.

Monday:

Tyler gets up around 3 or 3:30 to catch his ride to the airport so he can get to work (South Carolina) at the beginning of the workday. I get up to walk him to the door and then waste an hour or 5 getting back to sleep.

The kids (Alma) wake up between 8:30 - 9:00 and will be happy for 10 minutes while I will myself out of bed, get dressed and start breakfast (mondays it's usually just a banana and oatmeal), I get the kids up open all the windows, feed the kids and then let them play for an hour (we like to play "Mom's doing laundry, can she get it all done?"- Abby pulls around the laundry basket with wheels, and Alma bangs on the dryer) and then put them down for naps by 10:00 (awesome huh?).

They don't always fall asleep, but they both NEED this time. Alma because he just needs the 'down' time, Abby because she still needs the 'down' time and if she doesn't go down too, she'll sneak (or sprint) into the room every 5 min. to get Alma up.

They're back up around 11 and we'll get dressed for the day, eat again and then crawl around on the floor for awhile, or run some errands if we NEED to (if we're out of milk). We'll play outside with bubbles or chalk (Abby doesn't know that play-dough exists outside of nursery), and then read some books until 1:30 when they take another nap. They'll sleep for 2-3 hours and then just talk to each other until they get hungry or dirty their diaper.

-During this nap I try to get all the hazardous cleaning done- bathrooms, kitchen & mopping

I'll have dinner ready for them when they get up (they LOVE this) and are taken straight from their cribs to their high chairs. Alma eats like he hasn't seen food for a week and Abby will pick at her food and give whatever she doesn't want to Alma- this is why she gets her veggies first, then her food (if there's a sauce, that shouldn't come until she has slowed down or she'll just eat the sauce plain).

-When they're done eating I vacuum. Abby grabs her vacuum to help me, but won't stay in the same room if the vacuum is on. Alma on the other hand follows me from room to room and will watch occasionally chasing it, then run away.

After all that we'll go to the park (don't want the house to get dirty right after I cleaned it!), really wear them out, come home, get into pajamas, say prayers and go to bed.

Tuesday:

Pretty much the same routine, but I'm a little more proactive. Up by 8:30, fed and back down by 9:30. They start making noise again (Alma) around 10:30, I get them up dressed and throw them in the car with snacks to go to the Library for the toddler story time.

After story time we either go to the park with Tiana (Vanessa), Natalie & Cliff (Jen); or we go running errands. We try to make sure we're home by 1 to eat a little more, wind down and take naps.

Up again around 4. Play some more, eat again take it pretty easy. At 6:00 it's into the tub, back into pjs and bedtime.

Wednesday:

We usually get together with Natalie, Cliff, and Tiana around 11 either for a picnic at the park or at one of the houses for lunch and to play away the afternoon (sometimes we even bring pack 'n' plays so Cliff, Abby and Alma can still get their naps without the moms having to leave).

We head over to the Reese's with dinner around 4:30 or 5 (pack 'n' plays in tow). Play for 2 hours put the babies down by 7. Watch TV with Becca on my lap (so she falls asleep), put her in bed at 7:30, then I read or talk to Rachel until Eve gets back from mutual (between 9 and 10:30). Then I pack the kids up, take them home and straight to their beds.

Thursday:

Just breakfast and baths before the first nap (we usually have pancakes w/peanut butter and syrup, just because I know the bath is coming).

At 11 I do any errands and try to get the grocery shopping for the weekend done (we might even eat lunch at target & then get a popcorn to keep abby entertained), depending on when Tyler gets home, I might start laundry. Just try to make sure that the house is picked up.

Friday:

If I get the kids up I tell Abby that Daddy is home and she runs into the bedroom and hops into the bed with him. I get a bottle for each of the kids, and we all spend about 20 minutes back in bed with Tyler, just happy he's home.

When we finally get up, we feed the kids breakfast and send them back to bed, we eat breakfast and then get ready for the day (we don't really get ready for the day, we go back to sleep for another hour, or just talk; but saying that we get ready for the day makes us sound like we're responsible adults, so that's what I'm gonna say).

The kids get up again and we finally shower and try to decide if we're gonna do anything with the day (other than work...Tyler always has work he needs to get done on friday, sometimes a little on Saturday too). Usually we decide to play with bubbles or with chalk until nap time, then go to the park, Tyler has a way of making everything there more fun (Abby HATED the swings a month ago and now won't let me get her out of them).

If we play with them hard enough they'll be popped and ready for baths and then bed by 6:00

If we planned ahead, we might get a babysitter for 6:30 and get to go out on a date.

Saturday:

Pretty much a repeat of Friday. We might go on a picnic and meet some friends at the park, or go over and play with the Reese's

Do our best to prepare for Sunday and try to figure out how to make it through sacrament meeting in the chapel:)