Community, collaboration, and a first-time experience that left our school buzzing with joy.
Stirring Up Community Spirit: Pasta Night Success for the PTO
Friday, March 27, 2020
This week we've talked a lot about our plans, goals, and dreams after the covid-19 wave is no longer a threat for us.
Wednesday, December 25, 2019
Every Christmas is special, but this year was definitely one of my favorites.
Thursday, September 12, 2019
A couple years ago, I ordered a kit from Ancestry and then never got around to mailing it in. A few months ago, I actually ended up ordering another one (I later called and was able to get some of the funds back for not using the first kit) and actually mailed it off, saliva and all. I don't know why I finally decided to do it, or why I didn't deem it imperative before... but I am SO glad that I saw it through this time. In the middle of May, I got my ancestry results and some of them were pretty shocking. Take a look:
Saturday, December 30, 2017
I've smiled watching things pop up on social media with 2018 quickly approaching. People making their resolutions, making profound statements about change, growth, and prospering in the "fresh start" year... and I can't help but feel none of those things. Don't get me wrong, I was a chronic new years resolution gal.. until I started making changes about my life exactly when the thought came to me. I can't tell you how much growth I've experienced this past year from asserting myself and not relying on some special stroke of midnight that magically allowed me to fight for a better me. The mantra I've deemed most fitting for my 2017 has been - Live NOW. That's likely the reason why our family took two separate vacations to two very different coasts this year, just because. The reason why we tried conceiving a third child without any type of "plan" like we had done in the past. The reason I tried my damnedest to fight for a healthy me - mind, body & soul. I am so proud of all the progress I've made in the light, and trust me when I say that 2017 brought on SO much light for me.
As life would have it, I still found myself in some pretty dark places this year. Loss. I have always been open about how debilitating loss has been for me, and it still is today. Grieving the loss of my mom hasn't come to this healing place that I thought it would. Some days, I feel mended. Other days, the surface is raw, and it hurts, and my chest caves in, and all I want is to hear her voice again. To see her again. When we found out we lost one of our babies, I felt measures of broken that I hadn't felt in years. I think I went numb and into this place of saying I was okay about 1,000 times a day and trying to allow myself to believe that. My saving grace? My husband. He has saved me from myself more times than I can count and he has always served as a constant reminder that I am strong and it's going to be okay.
Through every high and every low, I'm grateful for my experiences this year. Grateful because I am reminded of how resilient I have become. Life has dished out some crazy curveballs and I'm still standing. So much of my healing comes from my family thriving, and 2017 left us with buckets of it. Miss Ava started Pre-K and she is totally rocking it! I was beyond nervous to let her go, but it was the best decision we've ever made. It has been just five months since the first day of school and I'm wondering why Pre-k isn't a state requirement nationwide? The benefits have blown us away. Ava has learned so much more extensively than I have been able to teach her (interpersonal relationships, resolving conflict on her own *to an extent*, and crazy new levels of independence) at home.
Justin got selected for promotion on his first look and even though it has been months since we first found out, I'm still beaming with pride and I'm so dang proud of this man. Olivia took off with her growth and she's never looked back. It is absolutely incredible to watch her learn from her sister, from her environment, from Justin and I... we are blessed to have such amazing little girls. Liam. Ahh, my baby boy. My growing, healthy, miracle of a babe. He has been the most healing piece of my puzzle this year and there isn't a minute that goes by that I'm not continuously thankful for that. One thing that's for sure - my family is everything and I most definitely will be taking that with me no matter what year we are ringing in! Here's a small collage of some of my favorite moments from this year.
Tulip picking, announcing our pregnancy, Destin, Florida, celebrating both of my girls and their birthdays, spending a piece of fall in Seattle, and of course so many more.
Wherever you are and however 2017 is ending for you: Stay safe, all the best wishes, and ring in the new year with as much love as humanly possible.
Through every high and every low, I'm grateful for my experiences this year. Grateful because I am reminded of how resilient I have become. Life has dished out some crazy curveballs and I'm still standing. So much of my healing comes from my family thriving, and 2017 left us with buckets of it. Miss Ava started Pre-K and she is totally rocking it! I was beyond nervous to let her go, but it was the best decision we've ever made. It has been just five months since the first day of school and I'm wondering why Pre-k isn't a state requirement nationwide? The benefits have blown us away. Ava has learned so much more extensively than I have been able to teach her (interpersonal relationships, resolving conflict on her own *to an extent*, and crazy new levels of independence) at home.
Justin got selected for promotion on his first look and even though it has been months since we first found out, I'm still beaming with pride and I'm so dang proud of this man. Olivia took off with her growth and she's never looked back. It is absolutely incredible to watch her learn from her sister, from her environment, from Justin and I... we are blessed to have such amazing little girls. Liam. Ahh, my baby boy. My growing, healthy, miracle of a babe. He has been the most healing piece of my puzzle this year and there isn't a minute that goes by that I'm not continuously thankful for that. One thing that's for sure - my family is everything and I most definitely will be taking that with me no matter what year we are ringing in! Here's a small collage of some of my favorite moments from this year.
Tulip picking, announcing our pregnancy, Destin, Florida, celebrating both of my girls and their birthdays, spending a piece of fall in Seattle, and of course so many more.
Wherever you are and however 2017 is ending for you: Stay safe, all the best wishes, and ring in the new year with as much love as humanly possible.
Wednesday, October 18, 2017
I had my anatomy scan this morning and it went so well! Baby was breech, so there are a couple of measurements that we'll have to try and take in a couple of weeks, but other than that - this little boy is healthy and growing as he should. Justin and Olivia came along to see our sweet little pickle and i'm so glad they did. Watching Justin in awe of our baby moving all around was a joy to me. This is the second pregnancy that my husband has been able to go to ultrasounds, appointments, and have tangible interactions with a pregnant Leilani - it has truly been such a blessing to have him here with me. Olivia kept saying, "excited" and "brother" each time we would direct her attention to the screen. The ultrasound tech was just swooning over how smart Olivia is and how aware she was of her baby brother. All the fears I've carried with me these last few months just kind of disappeared after today. My baby has the correct amount of toes, fingers, and eyes. His brain looks perfect, as does his heart, and other vital organs. I've been so scared that something was sure to be wrong because of the loss of a twin early on in this pregnancy. Any reassurance I can get that helps ease my worries is always a win in my book...today's scan was definitely the biggest win we've had yet.
Our sweet boy is just a few ounces shy of a pound and he's measuring ahead of his gestational age. I've been given the "OK" to fly - although this pregnancy is considered high risk. I'm glad this appointment came the day before we leave for Washington. I'm ready to just enjoy our trip knowing that baby boy is doing so wonderful in utero. I also love knowing that our boy will have technically spent a little time in my home state.. while I know it's not the same.. home is home and this is going to be such a special trip. It amazes me how quickly my pregnancy has progressed and it amazes me how loving and excited both of my girls have been since we told them that we are expecting this little one. Whenever Ava draws a photo (which is pretty often because, PRE-K) she always draws her brother too. She refers to him by his name and she talks about all the things she wants to teach him and all the activities they can do together.
Nothing warms my heart more than watching my kid's gush over this little boy. He's so incredibly loved already and I cannot wait to have him in my arms. I think I'm going to start writing our little guy entries in a journal, just like I did for both of his big sisters. I feel more connected to this growing life than I've allowed myself to be my entire pregnancy. I can't tell you how good it feels to finally be here. It feels good to watch myself transition into this happy, glowing, expectant mother that I know all too well. It also feels good to watch Justin sort of let loose of the reigns a bit. I know he's worried about me almost always, but I've watched him sort of let his guard down a bit and realize that I am okay. That makes me feel like one million times better. I hate that he worries, but instinctively - I do it too.
** ALSO, a super awesome blessing I've uncovered with my blog lately? Being able to go back to the same stages of pregnancy I had with both girls and compare my feelings.A sweet reminder of why I made the decision to document my life, my feelings, and our journey five years ago!
♥- Leilani
Our sweet boy is just a few ounces shy of a pound and he's measuring ahead of his gestational age. I've been given the "OK" to fly - although this pregnancy is considered high risk. I'm glad this appointment came the day before we leave for Washington. I'm ready to just enjoy our trip knowing that baby boy is doing so wonderful in utero. I also love knowing that our boy will have technically spent a little time in my home state.. while I know it's not the same.. home is home and this is going to be such a special trip. It amazes me how quickly my pregnancy has progressed and it amazes me how loving and excited both of my girls have been since we told them that we are expecting this little one. Whenever Ava draws a photo (which is pretty often because, PRE-K) she always draws her brother too. She refers to him by his name and she talks about all the things she wants to teach him and all the activities they can do together.
Nothing warms my heart more than watching my kid's gush over this little boy. He's so incredibly loved already and I cannot wait to have him in my arms. I think I'm going to start writing our little guy entries in a journal, just like I did for both of his big sisters. I feel more connected to this growing life than I've allowed myself to be my entire pregnancy. I can't tell you how good it feels to finally be here. It feels good to watch myself transition into this happy, glowing, expectant mother that I know all too well. It also feels good to watch Justin sort of let loose of the reigns a bit. I know he's worried about me almost always, but I've watched him sort of let his guard down a bit and realize that I am okay. That makes me feel like one million times better. I hate that he worries, but instinctively - I do it too.
** ALSO, a super awesome blessing I've uncovered with my blog lately? Being able to go back to the same stages of pregnancy I had with both girls and compare my feelings.A sweet reminder of why I made the decision to document my life, my feelings, and our journey five years ago!
♥- Leilani
Friday, April 14, 2017
After a heart wrenching conversation I had with a friend of mine this week, this post just seems fitting. We were discussing children, their relationship with their parents, and the impact the relationship (or lack thereof) has on a child. In the mists of talking about generalizations, we started discussing more personal information. I started talking about my husband because of a conversation that took place the night before. Justin and I were discussing his day and the things that occurred. He then shared that a battle buddy of his was asking questions about Justin's family and Justin quickly noticed that he could not answer some of the questions he was being asked. My husband said he just brushed it off casually stating that his family wasn't close. The dynamic of their family wasn't "that way". I could tell that saying that out loud to someone probably bothered my husband a bit. After taking some of this in.. I asked one question. I said, "Do you want a more personal relationship with your father?" His reply? "It is what it is. Can't change the past. I'm just going to be the best damn father to the children we have. I'll be personal with my kids."
My heart broke. Literally. It just broke. My husband is an incredible man. He's smart, funny, independent, caring, giving, goal driven, just an extraordinary human being. I can't even fathom that ANYONE would not want to be personal with this man. Especially his father? A man biologically connected to him. I didn't push the issue after I heard his reply. I just sat there and let the heavy feelings resonate with me. A moment or two after, I started thinking about my own dad. My father that has literally fought tooth and nail to have a strong, PERSONAL relationship with me my entire life. I was by no means an easy child - a precocious babe, but difficult as well. Getting close to me has been such an uphill battle for my dad (product of divorce and not understanding how to organize my emotions) and even still, my dad has always made his presence known and he always extended the classic disclaimer, "I am here if you need me. I am here if you want to talk. I am here, Leilani. I always have been."
I thought about the conversations I've had with my dad throughout my adolescence and adulthood. I've come to my dad to talk about sex, love, breastfeeding, and loss - topics most probably have never discussed with their fathers. I thought about my 16 year old self telling my dad I wanted to be put on birth control - but begging him not to tell my mom about our conversation. I remember having my heart broken and crying on my dad's couch because I just didn't know what to do. I clung to his advice like listening and following would make everything alright. I remember the first time I took Justin to meet my dad. He met my dad before he met my mom. I wasn't surprised when my dad welcomed him with open arms. I had expected him to. Since marriage and becoming a mom, our conversations have changed, but never lessened in depth or "personal" touches. Instead we talk about grieving after losing my mom, uterine surgeries, and the "What ifs" in life. He tells me how proud he is of me, my family, and his favorite son (running joke since Justin is the only "son" he has).
Going down memory lane reminded me that even though my dad doesn't have to take care of me the same way he once did, appreciation needs to be given. So many like my husband don't have the same relationship dynamics that I have with my father. It makes me sad, but it also reminds me to be grateful. My dad has never put limitations on the things we discuss or the things we share. He has never put up walls with me, He has always let me know that we can talk about anything. So thank you, dad. Thank you for always being personal with me. I am a better woman for it and my children will be better humans for it as well.
♥- Leilani
My heart broke. Literally. It just broke. My husband is an incredible man. He's smart, funny, independent, caring, giving, goal driven, just an extraordinary human being. I can't even fathom that ANYONE would not want to be personal with this man. Especially his father? A man biologically connected to him. I didn't push the issue after I heard his reply. I just sat there and let the heavy feelings resonate with me. A moment or two after, I started thinking about my own dad. My father that has literally fought tooth and nail to have a strong, PERSONAL relationship with me my entire life. I was by no means an easy child - a precocious babe, but difficult as well. Getting close to me has been such an uphill battle for my dad (product of divorce and not understanding how to organize my emotions) and even still, my dad has always made his presence known and he always extended the classic disclaimer, "I am here if you need me. I am here if you want to talk. I am here, Leilani. I always have been."
I thought about the conversations I've had with my dad throughout my adolescence and adulthood. I've come to my dad to talk about sex, love, breastfeeding, and loss - topics most probably have never discussed with their fathers. I thought about my 16 year old self telling my dad I wanted to be put on birth control - but begging him not to tell my mom about our conversation. I remember having my heart broken and crying on my dad's couch because I just didn't know what to do. I clung to his advice like listening and following would make everything alright. I remember the first time I took Justin to meet my dad. He met my dad before he met my mom. I wasn't surprised when my dad welcomed him with open arms. I had expected him to. Since marriage and becoming a mom, our conversations have changed, but never lessened in depth or "personal" touches. Instead we talk about grieving after losing my mom, uterine surgeries, and the "What ifs" in life. He tells me how proud he is of me, my family, and his favorite son (running joke since Justin is the only "son" he has).
Going down memory lane reminded me that even though my dad doesn't have to take care of me the same way he once did, appreciation needs to be given. So many like my husband don't have the same relationship dynamics that I have with my father. It makes me sad, but it also reminds me to be grateful. My dad has never put limitations on the things we discuss or the things we share. He has never put up walls with me, He has always let me know that we can talk about anything. So thank you, dad. Thank you for always being personal with me. I am a better woman for it and my children will be better humans for it as well.
Wednesday, January 11, 2017
I recently joined this group on facebook called self portraits of motherhood and OH MY GOSH.. it is pure gold. Seriously. I haven't felt this inspired in regards to photography in a good while. I haven't been in this group more than a week or so and I am already seeing my creative juices flow. The idea is to make sure YOU, yes --> you mama <-- are in the frame with your little ones. I have probably been doing self portraits for over a year now, maybe longer? I got my tripod in October 2015 and since then I've taken a lot of documentary photos for myself along with family shots, so I am pretty comfortable with getting in the frame. This group is a community of women that share the most beautiful, emotional, and raw images of themselves in the very throws that is motherhood. I have been in complete awe. Just complete awe. I shared my first image just a couple of days ago and I got such a great response from the other ladies. I get so nervous about sharing my photos but since last night - that feeling is no more.
Just like motherhood, photography is a process. As I continue to grow and become more confident in the type of photos I want to produce - I see changes in myself. In my comfortability. I am excited to see where this new spark takes me. So far, I have been in the frame with my girls everyday this week. I find myself setting up the tripod during play time or right before nap time. I want to look back and remember the phases we were in - toys, dolls, books, etc. I also want to remember all of the smaller details in our lives. Nursing routines, cuddles, and favorite stuffed animals. I want to remember Ava requesting "her songs" on the tablet and trying to scan pandora for disney stations. I want to remember helping Ava set up her dolls in her doll house while watching her stand on her tippy toes. All of our moments. I just want to BE THERE for them all.
I talked to Justin about getting in the frame as a family too. Nothing posed, just our regular moments together. I have a feeling a lot of photos will be from Saturday mornings. There is something about our Saturday mornings that just pave complete magic for the weekend. I'm thinking about sharing some of the images I take on the blog.. if you are interested in seeing them, shoot me an email or comment on the link below. I know this year will be a pretty active one for my readers - so definitely let me know what you'd like to see. I'm hoping it'll spark something for you guys as well. You can never have too many photos of you and your little ones.
Happy Wednesday!
♥- Leilani
Just like motherhood, photography is a process. As I continue to grow and become more confident in the type of photos I want to produce - I see changes in myself. In my comfortability. I am excited to see where this new spark takes me. So far, I have been in the frame with my girls everyday this week. I find myself setting up the tripod during play time or right before nap time. I want to look back and remember the phases we were in - toys, dolls, books, etc. I also want to remember all of the smaller details in our lives. Nursing routines, cuddles, and favorite stuffed animals. I want to remember Ava requesting "her songs" on the tablet and trying to scan pandora for disney stations. I want to remember helping Ava set up her dolls in her doll house while watching her stand on her tippy toes. All of our moments. I just want to BE THERE for them all.
I talked to Justin about getting in the frame as a family too. Nothing posed, just our regular moments together. I have a feeling a lot of photos will be from Saturday mornings. There is something about our Saturday mornings that just pave complete magic for the weekend. I'm thinking about sharing some of the images I take on the blog.. if you are interested in seeing them, shoot me an email or comment on the link below. I know this year will be a pretty active one for my readers - so definitely let me know what you'd like to see. I'm hoping it'll spark something for you guys as well. You can never have too many photos of you and your little ones.
Happy Wednesday!
♥- Leilani
Thursday, December 1, 2016
When Justin and I agreed that we wanted to request Texas for his recruiting assignment, it was for one main reason - making recruiting easier for him. Here we are one day shy of being Texas residents for six whole months and I can honestly say that this place is starting to feel like home. I sometimes catch myself feeling so familiar with this community and I never EVER thought I would feel that way. For a good while I couldn't say a whole sentence without mentioning Washington State or making a "home sick" reference back to the PNW. Though I still would much rather be home - I don't find myself having to voice it outloud nearly as much. I've grown to love this Texas winter weather too. Back home, it's freezing. In New York, it's freezing. All you need is a light jacket, warm socks, and sunglasses in North Texas and you are good to go!
I think the major shift of heart here is due to Miss Ava Bug. She is only three years old and will likely be spending at least the next year or two here. So much of her preschool growth will be here in Texas. She's already changed SO much and has continued to show us the true resiliency of miltiary kids. Getting her involved in activites was the best move we could have made for her. She socializes with so many different kiddos her age, she's active, and she has a weekly routine that she anticipates each day. In turn I get to socialize with other mama bears in the community as well. It's a nice social hour for me and I think it's helped quite a bit with the move. We feel like we are apart of something bigger, something worth appreciating.
I sit here tonight browsing online to get our "thank you" gift bags ready for Ava's teachers and I can't help but have such a grateful heart. There are so many wise, kind, and thoughtful mentors in her life right now - we couldn't be more blessed. In the absence of our extended family, I am still certain that my child is very much so involved in a village of different positive influences. What more could we ask for? It dawned on me that Texas may be bringing more to our lives than we ever expected was possible. Maybe we NEED to be here right now. So for now, I'm going to enjoy this season of our life. Christmas always brings so much out of me and this year is no exception. The Christmas tree is up, our stockings are over the mantle, and we get family pictures taken next week. Everything is as it should be right now and it feels amazing.
Here is a collage of Ava's speech, swim, gymnastics, and ballet moments. She loves each and every activity - we are over the moon she loves being so involved!
♥- Leilani
I think the major shift of heart here is due to Miss Ava Bug. She is only three years old and will likely be spending at least the next year or two here. So much of her preschool growth will be here in Texas. She's already changed SO much and has continued to show us the true resiliency of miltiary kids. Getting her involved in activites was the best move we could have made for her. She socializes with so many different kiddos her age, she's active, and she has a weekly routine that she anticipates each day. In turn I get to socialize with other mama bears in the community as well. It's a nice social hour for me and I think it's helped quite a bit with the move. We feel like we are apart of something bigger, something worth appreciating.
I sit here tonight browsing online to get our "thank you" gift bags ready for Ava's teachers and I can't help but have such a grateful heart. There are so many wise, kind, and thoughtful mentors in her life right now - we couldn't be more blessed. In the absence of our extended family, I am still certain that my child is very much so involved in a village of different positive influences. What more could we ask for? It dawned on me that Texas may be bringing more to our lives than we ever expected was possible. Maybe we NEED to be here right now. So for now, I'm going to enjoy this season of our life. Christmas always brings so much out of me and this year is no exception. The Christmas tree is up, our stockings are over the mantle, and we get family pictures taken next week. Everything is as it should be right now and it feels amazing.
Here is a collage of Ava's speech, swim, gymnastics, and ballet moments. She loves each and every activity - we are over the moon she loves being so involved!
♥- Leilani
Sunday, November 6, 2016
I don't think I've written one of these since Olivia was just a few weeks old. We were still living in Washington, so yes... it's been a long while. Anywho, with family planning on our mind, I wanted to go over the rewards, challenges, and overall system we have with two kiddos on our hands. I want to say it probably took Justin leaving us for eight weeks back in March for me to really realize: Mama, you got this. Being alone with your children without help is such a different experience for parents. For the longest time we knew we wanted to have more than just two kiddos, but for the first time in my life i realized, WOW. This is WORK. My goodness is it work. I'm not saying one child isn't work.. but two kiddos, that was WORK for me. Especially because my girls have polar opposite personalities. I have to give it up to my oldest, Ava. She is ALWAYS helpful, kind, and willing to assist in anyway she can. Bless her heart for being such a great big sister. To keep myself from steering off topic, I'm going to break this down into categories.
Rewards: Being able to see the different personalities your children have, oh my goodness this a big one for me. Ava is laid back, gentle, and easy going. Olivia is a spit fire (i've made this reference so many times), she's physical, the strongest baby I've ever met, and will have a complete meltdown if she doesn't get what she wants. I also love seeing their genetic differences as well. Ava is tan, dark brown hair with red higlights, big brown eyes, and takes after my sister and her daddy in so many ways. Olivia is fair skinned, green/blue eyes, and blondish/brown hair. I see some of my features in her, but my in-laws swear she's identical to Justin as a baby. I love watching my girls BOND. That's my favorite. The bonding, the playing, the giggles.. it's twice the fun with these two. I love that they have a forever friend in one another and that they will help eachother the rest of their lives with more than things than we know! The rewards are infinite. They really are.
Challenges: Twice the meltdowns. If one is crying, the other will chime in soon after. Constantly feeling like there needs to be TWO of Justin and I. We try our absolute hardest to give each girl equal attention, but sometimes we feel like we are coming up short. Ava loves to work in her PRE-K work books, but Olivia loves to rip and chew on them. Ava loves to color and Olivia loves to eat and chew on Ava's coloring crayons. Olivia has so many cute baby toys in her nursery.. Ava seems to think her toys AND her sissy's toys belong to her. Errands take a little longer.. especially if Olivia is wailing in the backseat. Most times we have two carts at the grocery store (if Justin is with us). One for the girls and one for the groceries. Nap time. If Olivia is asleep and Ava isn't - Olivia almost never gets a full nap. It's not that Ava is extremely loud.. but she is a bit louder coincidentally when her sister is asleep.
Our System: What works for us may not work for others, but this is a break down of our day with both girls. In the morning, Olivia sleeps until 8am - Justin wakes around 530am or 6am and by the time he returns from his work out, Ava is awake. Justin makes Ava breakfast and gets her changed into clothes for the day, while I get to snooze with the baby. By the time we wake up, Justin has about 45 minutes until he has to leave for work. I change Olivia, feed Olivia, and try to get in a load of dishes while both Justin and I are home (and pull out meat for dinner if it's required). Once Justin leaves the schedule changes depending on the day. If Ava has an activity (which she does 5 out of 7 days a week), we conduct our day around that. So for example if this was a Wednesday, Ava would have ballet. Ballet starts at 10am. We'd have 30 minutes of play time for the girls and then I'd take 30 minutes to get the house tidied before we left, get our things in the car, and head out for ballet. During ballet, Olivia and I socialize with the mommy friend I made and her girls. This is also the time Olivia gets sleepy. So, right after ballet - we mainly go home. I crank one of Olivia's songs that soothe her and most times she falls asleep in the car pending I nurse her before we leave.
If I have to grocery shop that day - i do it after Olivia's morning nap and after Ava's mid morning snack. If I have any additional errands, I like to run them before lunch because both girls nap around 145pm. After lunch time we are usually home for the day. I hate errands in the late afternoon. This is the hours I get to attempt to do laundry, clean, maybe crank out a homework assignement during nap time, social media, etc. 4pm is another crunch mode in this house. I usually feed Olivia early if she is eating something different than us for dinner that night - she goes in her high chair will I cook. Ava will play by herself doing something off in her room, play house, etc. Justin comes home within 90 minutes of dinner prep usually. We eat dinner as a family, socialize for an hour or so before bed, then we get ready for sleepy time.
I mainly co-shower with both girls these days. We want to transition Ava from baths to showers and this seems to be the best way for us. I bathe myself, I bathe Ava, and then I bathe Olivia. Justin will play with the girls while I shower and that's his one on one time with them in the evening. Night time routines involve daddy (which i love, thanks recuriting) so we get lotion, dressed, and bedtime stories. Ava will do lights out with daddy and i'll go nurse Olivia down in our room. Once both babies are out, daddy and I get our one on one time. This usually happens around 830pm.
I know that was definitely long - if you braved through that, I hope something in there either helps you or is a scheduling pointer that you yourself use!
♥- Leilani
Rewards: Being able to see the different personalities your children have, oh my goodness this a big one for me. Ava is laid back, gentle, and easy going. Olivia is a spit fire (i've made this reference so many times), she's physical, the strongest baby I've ever met, and will have a complete meltdown if she doesn't get what she wants. I also love seeing their genetic differences as well. Ava is tan, dark brown hair with red higlights, big brown eyes, and takes after my sister and her daddy in so many ways. Olivia is fair skinned, green/blue eyes, and blondish/brown hair. I see some of my features in her, but my in-laws swear she's identical to Justin as a baby. I love watching my girls BOND. That's my favorite. The bonding, the playing, the giggles.. it's twice the fun with these two. I love that they have a forever friend in one another and that they will help eachother the rest of their lives with more than things than we know! The rewards are infinite. They really are.
Challenges: Twice the meltdowns. If one is crying, the other will chime in soon after. Constantly feeling like there needs to be TWO of Justin and I. We try our absolute hardest to give each girl equal attention, but sometimes we feel like we are coming up short. Ava loves to work in her PRE-K work books, but Olivia loves to rip and chew on them. Ava loves to color and Olivia loves to eat and chew on Ava's coloring crayons. Olivia has so many cute baby toys in her nursery.. Ava seems to think her toys AND her sissy's toys belong to her. Errands take a little longer.. especially if Olivia is wailing in the backseat. Most times we have two carts at the grocery store (if Justin is with us). One for the girls and one for the groceries. Nap time. If Olivia is asleep and Ava isn't - Olivia almost never gets a full nap. It's not that Ava is extremely loud.. but she is a bit louder coincidentally when her sister is asleep.
Our System: What works for us may not work for others, but this is a break down of our day with both girls. In the morning, Olivia sleeps until 8am - Justin wakes around 530am or 6am and by the time he returns from his work out, Ava is awake. Justin makes Ava breakfast and gets her changed into clothes for the day, while I get to snooze with the baby. By the time we wake up, Justin has about 45 minutes until he has to leave for work. I change Olivia, feed Olivia, and try to get in a load of dishes while both Justin and I are home (and pull out meat for dinner if it's required). Once Justin leaves the schedule changes depending on the day. If Ava has an activity (which she does 5 out of 7 days a week), we conduct our day around that. So for example if this was a Wednesday, Ava would have ballet. Ballet starts at 10am. We'd have 30 minutes of play time for the girls and then I'd take 30 minutes to get the house tidied before we left, get our things in the car, and head out for ballet. During ballet, Olivia and I socialize with the mommy friend I made and her girls. This is also the time Olivia gets sleepy. So, right after ballet - we mainly go home. I crank one of Olivia's songs that soothe her and most times she falls asleep in the car pending I nurse her before we leave.
If I have to grocery shop that day - i do it after Olivia's morning nap and after Ava's mid morning snack. If I have any additional errands, I like to run them before lunch because both girls nap around 145pm. After lunch time we are usually home for the day. I hate errands in the late afternoon. This is the hours I get to attempt to do laundry, clean, maybe crank out a homework assignement during nap time, social media, etc. 4pm is another crunch mode in this house. I usually feed Olivia early if she is eating something different than us for dinner that night - she goes in her high chair will I cook. Ava will play by herself doing something off in her room, play house, etc. Justin comes home within 90 minutes of dinner prep usually. We eat dinner as a family, socialize for an hour or so before bed, then we get ready for sleepy time.
I mainly co-shower with both girls these days. We want to transition Ava from baths to showers and this seems to be the best way for us. I bathe myself, I bathe Ava, and then I bathe Olivia. Justin will play with the girls while I shower and that's his one on one time with them in the evening. Night time routines involve daddy (which i love, thanks recuriting) so we get lotion, dressed, and bedtime stories. Ava will do lights out with daddy and i'll go nurse Olivia down in our room. Once both babies are out, daddy and I get our one on one time. This usually happens around 830pm.
I know that was definitely long - if you braved through that, I hope something in there either helps you or is a scheduling pointer that you yourself use!
♥- Leilani
Thursday, November 3, 2016
Olivia fell off the bed this morning. Writing that is like a punch in the gut. While laying next to the person that is suppose to keep her most safe in the world, somehow, she fell of of the bed. I woke to soft cries and as I took .5 seconds to wipe the sleep from my eyes, I realized Olivia was not in the bed. Panic mode was in full effect and I immediately found her on the floor. I hate these moments in parenthood. They are not for the weak. I ran to her, I scooped her up, and immediately started to comfort her. I have no idea what happened.. none. Justin and Ava ran into the room shortly after. I could feel the concern in Justin's voice and the panicked look on the face of our oldest. And the tears came falling. I nursed my sweet girl to see if the comfort would ease her cries - it did. When she calmed, I inspected her from head to toe.
I checked for bumps, I checked all of her limbs, and then immediately decided we were going to take our youngest babe into the ER for further evaluation. There are many things I am adamant about in this life - at the top of my list is the well being of my babies. It could be something as simple as a bump. Something as simple as a sratch. If I feel like medical attention is neccessary, I will always make sure my kiddos receive it. There has never been harm in double or triple checking a situation that involves the health of your child. Justin called his boss almost immediately after and we were in the car minutes later.
Olivia is completely fine. Thank god. Our ER trip took about an hour and she was evaluated by two different doctors and an RN. She was responsive, she hadn't vomitted, and her normal behavior didn't seem to chage after her fall. They deemed it unneccessary to perfom a CT or anything of that nature because she checked out OK. I was relieved. After filling out the usual paperwork, we were on our way.
All day I have been watching my babe like a hawk. I have been internally beating myself up for this incident. I have been internally telling myself that I didn't deserve to have these beautiful babies if I couldn't even keep them safe from falling off the bed. I hate when I beat myself up like this. The truth is, it is a risk when you co-sleep. I know this. We had been laying on the bottom half of the bed because Ava came in during the middle of the night and she's not exactly the best bed sharer. Parents aren't perfect people. Having kids doesn't mean you all of a sudden know it all.
I have to remind myself of this when I'm completely tearing myself apart. I've cried more today than I have in a good while. I was co-showering with Olivia tonight and after I finished washing her, I just held her. I kissed her sweet cheeks and I took in her smell. It was in those moments that I realized I don't have many more of these moments left with her. She's going to be 10 months old this month and here we are having gone through her first (and hopefulyl last) bed fall, her first ER trip, and my first scary moment with her. All in one day. Babies don't keep. Savor and relish in all that they are every moment that you can.
♥- Leilani
I checked for bumps, I checked all of her limbs, and then immediately decided we were going to take our youngest babe into the ER for further evaluation. There are many things I am adamant about in this life - at the top of my list is the well being of my babies. It could be something as simple as a bump. Something as simple as a sratch. If I feel like medical attention is neccessary, I will always make sure my kiddos receive it. There has never been harm in double or triple checking a situation that involves the health of your child. Justin called his boss almost immediately after and we were in the car minutes later.
Olivia is completely fine. Thank god. Our ER trip took about an hour and she was evaluated by two different doctors and an RN. She was responsive, she hadn't vomitted, and her normal behavior didn't seem to chage after her fall. They deemed it unneccessary to perfom a CT or anything of that nature because she checked out OK. I was relieved. After filling out the usual paperwork, we were on our way.
All day I have been watching my babe like a hawk. I have been internally beating myself up for this incident. I have been internally telling myself that I didn't deserve to have these beautiful babies if I couldn't even keep them safe from falling off the bed. I hate when I beat myself up like this. The truth is, it is a risk when you co-sleep. I know this. We had been laying on the bottom half of the bed because Ava came in during the middle of the night and she's not exactly the best bed sharer. Parents aren't perfect people. Having kids doesn't mean you all of a sudden know it all.
I have to remind myself of this when I'm completely tearing myself apart. I've cried more today than I have in a good while. I was co-showering with Olivia tonight and after I finished washing her, I just held her. I kissed her sweet cheeks and I took in her smell. It was in those moments that I realized I don't have many more of these moments left with her. She's going to be 10 months old this month and here we are having gone through her first (and hopefulyl last) bed fall, her first ER trip, and my first scary moment with her. All in one day. Babies don't keep. Savor and relish in all that they are every moment that you can.
Photo Cred: Thee Bonnie Hussey
Monday, October 31, 2016
Tonight was our very first night trick or treating with our children! Up until this point I have been extremely adamant that Ava bug was just too young.. but there was no denying that this year she was ready. For weeks we've known she wanted to be Anna from Frozen. We've known that Olivia was going to be Elsa (also from Frozen). We knew that daddy was going to be Olaf (I was suppose to be but since I'm sick - last minute change) as of a few days ago. I mean this plan has been in the works for quite some time. We told Ava that when we knock on the doors of our neighbors we say "TRICK OR TREAT" for all to hear.
And you know what? Our babe did just that. She used her manners after receiving goodies from each stop.. tonight could not have gone better. Justin got off work early so he could be apart of all the festiivites (so thankful for this). We left the house around 620? maybe earlier or later by a smidge. I took photos in our front lawn, we got our yard ready for the trick or treaters that may come when we came home, and we took off into the 80 degree weather that Texas provided us this evening. To be honest, there was a breeze and it didn't truly feel that hot. I was so thankful for this.
Our entire divison of homes is SO HUGE so we barely made it through two of the subdivisions before Ava's halloween bucket was completely full. Ava was a littl shy at first, but she quickly came around. Walking up to each door by herself, knocking, and running away with a huge smile on her face. I really loved that most of the families that were handing out candy were out in their driveway. They were prepared for their trick or treaters and were so animated! Justin, Ava, and Olivia got so many compliments on their costumes. One child even got so excited about seeing Olaf that he ran up to Justin for a warm hug.
I had my camera the entire time - although I forgot my cell phone at home (definite blessing in disguise). We stumbled upon a halloween block party just across the road from our cul de sac and boy was that fun. Ava and Olivia both were gazing at the lights, listening to the music, and they waited to receive candy from over SEVEN different candy bowls on one table.
I think that was the best part. Watching my preschooler light up and watching her dad love every single minute of their time together. I am so thankful for Justin. I know he was hot in that mesh Olaf costume but he didn't take it off even once while we were out with the girls. Not to mention he held Olivia the ENTIRE time. This experience reminded me of my younger years and my many annual halloween trick or treating. I can't wait for next year!
Happy Halloween!
♥- Leilani
And you know what? Our babe did just that. She used her manners after receiving goodies from each stop.. tonight could not have gone better. Justin got off work early so he could be apart of all the festiivites (so thankful for this). We left the house around 620? maybe earlier or later by a smidge. I took photos in our front lawn, we got our yard ready for the trick or treaters that may come when we came home, and we took off into the 80 degree weather that Texas provided us this evening. To be honest, there was a breeze and it didn't truly feel that hot. I was so thankful for this.
Our entire divison of homes is SO HUGE so we barely made it through two of the subdivisions before Ava's halloween bucket was completely full. Ava was a littl shy at first, but she quickly came around. Walking up to each door by herself, knocking, and running away with a huge smile on her face. I really loved that most of the families that were handing out candy were out in their driveway. They were prepared for their trick or treaters and were so animated! Justin, Ava, and Olivia got so many compliments on their costumes. One child even got so excited about seeing Olaf that he ran up to Justin for a warm hug.
I had my camera the entire time - although I forgot my cell phone at home (definite blessing in disguise). We stumbled upon a halloween block party just across the road from our cul de sac and boy was that fun. Ava and Olivia both were gazing at the lights, listening to the music, and they waited to receive candy from over SEVEN different candy bowls on one table.
I think that was the best part. Watching my preschooler light up and watching her dad love every single minute of their time together. I am so thankful for Justin. I know he was hot in that mesh Olaf costume but he didn't take it off even once while we were out with the girls. Not to mention he held Olivia the ENTIRE time. This experience reminded me of my younger years and my many annual halloween trick or treating. I can't wait for next year!
Happy Halloween!
♥- Leilani
Sunday, October 9, 2016
The Chicago Midway Airport is probably one of my favorite layover airports. We are familiar with this airport, it's never overcrowded when we are there, and it is so easy to find your way around. Once we got off the plane from Dallas, we got ourselves into a luggage carrier, picked up some lunch, and made our way to our next gate. We had enough time to use the restroom, get the girls changed/fed, and even watch a little bit of Ava's Frozen movie. I loved the timing of the layover + flight departures with this trip. It allowed us all to be comfortable at almost all times. We ended up boarding our next flight a little over an hour and a half after we arrived in Chicago. The flight from Chicago to New York was so incredibly pleasant. It was also less than two hours in the air, Olivia slept on the flight, AND SO DID EVERYONE ELSE. It was completely glorious to wake up to just a few minutes left in our flight time.
Albany airport is so small, so baggage claim was a complete breeze. Justin stood in line for the car rental and we loaded it up shortly after. I honestly loved being able to rent a car from the airport. We were on our own time and we didn't leave anyone waiting. We were also able to surprise Justin's Nana when we pulled into her driveway. Overall flying was so much easier with two littles in tow than I ever expected. We utilized Southwest airlines and we will continue to do so in the future for our travel needs.
♥- Leilani
Albany airport is so small, so baggage claim was a complete breeze. Justin stood in line for the car rental and we loaded it up shortly after. I honestly loved being able to rent a car from the airport. We were on our own time and we didn't leave anyone waiting. We were also able to surprise Justin's Nana when we pulled into her driveway. Overall flying was so much easier with two littles in tow than I ever expected. We utilized Southwest airlines and we will continue to do so in the future for our travel needs.
♥- Leilani
Saturday, September 24, 2016
Less than 72 hours after I wrote Olivia's 8 month update... something amazing happened. My child CUT her first tooth. It is on the bottom left of her lower gum. I literally took a sigh of relief. This past month has been a rough one for our girl (I mentioned that in the 8 month update) and it has been exhausting for her parents as well. As soon as I felt the first nub of a tooth, it's like she took a complete 360 yet again - but this time our sweet girl shifted back to her normal, smiley, happy self. I feel so terrible for our sweet girl. I think teething is going to kick her but a little more than we anticipated. Babies truly are so incredibly different, even siblings.. With Ava, she never showed signs that teething hurt her. Truthfully, she just got super drooly and would maybe have a little more spit up than normal?
I love that we are able to experience the difference in personalities with our girls. it's humbling us, equipping us even more so, and really opening up our eyes to addressing new things with our children. To continue to the good news train, Olivia has also just started standing up and standing still in the middle of a room. I can't believe how much change has happened in our home in just 72 hours. This morning after Ava's swim class: We came home, let the girls play on the floor, and then it happened. Olivia held onto her infant car seat and let go... she just stood there. Unassisted, like a natural. She didn't take any steps though. Regardless, I'm blown away by my child's growth curve.
The exhaustion this past month didn't even matter today. I just couldn't stop myself from smiling and loving on my baby girl. The life mantra I took on during Ava's infancy still proves to be true. WHEN YOU ARE A PARENT- you are not managing an inconvenience, you are raising a human being. While the falls, bumps, and mood swings aren't always fun - I will always remember how blessed we are to have been given our sweet girls. On that note, I am off! It's family day and I'm going to soak up all the time I can with the loves of my life.
Happy Saturday all!
** UPDATE** Baby cut TWO teeth on the bottom!
♥- Leilani
I love that we are able to experience the difference in personalities with our girls. it's humbling us, equipping us even more so, and really opening up our eyes to addressing new things with our children. To continue to the good news train, Olivia has also just started standing up and standing still in the middle of a room. I can't believe how much change has happened in our home in just 72 hours. This morning after Ava's swim class: We came home, let the girls play on the floor, and then it happened. Olivia held onto her infant car seat and let go... she just stood there. Unassisted, like a natural. She didn't take any steps though. Regardless, I'm blown away by my child's growth curve.
The exhaustion this past month didn't even matter today. I just couldn't stop myself from smiling and loving on my baby girl. The life mantra I took on during Ava's infancy still proves to be true. WHEN YOU ARE A PARENT- you are not managing an inconvenience, you are raising a human being. While the falls, bumps, and mood swings aren't always fun - I will always remember how blessed we are to have been given our sweet girls. On that note, I am off! It's family day and I'm going to soak up all the time I can with the loves of my life.
Happy Saturday all!
** UPDATE** Baby cut TWO teeth on the bottom!
♥- Leilani
Tuesday, September 6, 2016
I may talk about this a lot over the course of the next three years, but I can't help it. The girls and I are on this permanent cloud nine and it feels incredible. Because we are a military family, there are a lot of things that are out of our control. Sometimes - it's the big stuff. Like, giving birth to your first born child while your husband is over 7,000 miles away. Most times it's just the little stuff... like just being home as a family and spending time together. We have learned to make all of our moments together count, even if daddy isn't home for them. This month marks four months that I have gone to sleep beside my husband every single night. This month marks four months that our children have seen their father every single day. If you are military, you know how HUGE something like this is.
I have had to learn not to over schedule our time in an effort to make sure Justin is included - because he always is. Saturday morning breakfast, swim classes, and lazy Sundays... he is home for all the moments. I think it just really hit me this weekend. Justin had the last few days off and they were amazing. Not just amazing because he was off, amazing because there was nothing we had to catch up on. Usually when he's in the field for a month, has staff duty overnight, or he's doing some type of week long training on post - there is always something he has to be caught up on. A picture Ava drew, a new word Ava said, something pregnancy related... that just isn't the case right now.
I get to watch my husband be the father he wants to be, even while having a full career in the military. I am so incredibly proud and gushing over how much of a family man Justin is. Whether it's flying around the house in PJ MASKS costumes with the girls, sneaking in chocolate treats with Ava before dinner, or reading them new books we picked out from Barnes and Noble earlier in the day.... he's here for all of our moments. I am so blessed to have this man for my husband. Adjusting to seeing one another every day wasn't nearly as weird as i thought it would be. Instead, I'm giddy at the end of his work day. I can't wait to see him. Even though we text throughout the day, I still get excited to hear about what happened at work. This is bliss.
♥- Leilani
I have had to learn not to over schedule our time in an effort to make sure Justin is included - because he always is. Saturday morning breakfast, swim classes, and lazy Sundays... he is home for all the moments. I think it just really hit me this weekend. Justin had the last few days off and they were amazing. Not just amazing because he was off, amazing because there was nothing we had to catch up on. Usually when he's in the field for a month, has staff duty overnight, or he's doing some type of week long training on post - there is always something he has to be caught up on. A picture Ava drew, a new word Ava said, something pregnancy related... that just isn't the case right now.
I get to watch my husband be the father he wants to be, even while having a full career in the military. I am so incredibly proud and gushing over how much of a family man Justin is. Whether it's flying around the house in PJ MASKS costumes with the girls, sneaking in chocolate treats with Ava before dinner, or reading them new books we picked out from Barnes and Noble earlier in the day.... he's here for all of our moments. I am so blessed to have this man for my husband. Adjusting to seeing one another every day wasn't nearly as weird as i thought it would be. Instead, I'm giddy at the end of his work day. I can't wait to see him. Even though we text throughout the day, I still get excited to hear about what happened at work. This is bliss.
♥- Leilani
Thursday, September 1, 2016
September kicks off SO many things for my little family. For starters, football! I know my husband is SUPER excited to watch the first kick off of the season in the next week. It's been a long six months since we watched our BRONCOS win a super bowl championship to close last season, and it'll be fun to see what they can pull off this season. I just ordered the girls new jerseys, cheerleading outfits, and bows so they can celebrate alongside their daddy. September also marks the start of my favorite season of them all, FALL. I am a fall/autumn fanatic. I love fall foliage (ironically, you don't get much of that in Northern Texas), sweater weather, pumpkin patches, tall boots, family time, and all the festivities that go along with it. Justin's recruiting assignment is allowing us to spend part of our season in New York this year! WE ARE OVER THE MOON ABOUT THIS.
I have heard SO many things about Upstate New York in the fall.. can't wait to see how beautiful it is in person. More importantly, I can't wait to watch my children and their father play around in big ole maple tree leaves for the first time, making so many good memories. Apparently apple cider donuts are a "thing" during this time of year, so naturally my husband has been raving about them. I know it's going to be colder up there than it is down here in the South.. my PNW soul is BEAMING and shouting for allll the cold weather to hit me. My husband's grandmother (aka Nana) lives on quite a bit of land which means Ava can run around like crazy without these icky Southern bugs getting in the way of her exploration.
Aside from our impending trip, my best friend will be here soon! It's been almost 4 months since we last saw each other and my heart is literally spurting all types of happy feels all over the place. I can't wait for Leeana to see how big the girls have gotten since we last saw her! I also can't wait to make some sweet memories with her down here. Thankfully, she'll be coming when the weather isn't so brutal, so I'm hoping we'll get a lot of bucket list destinations checked off.
My dad should also be visiting pretty soon here too! I think every single month until the new year, someone will be visiting us in our Texas home. I LOVE THAT. Having our family visit us makes it feel like we aren't missing a beat. It makes it feel like the time here in Texas is going by so much quicker. I told myself to fly with the girls to Washington a couple times a year.. I just don't know that my heart is ready to go home quite yet, even though I miss Washington like crazy. We are planting some roots here in Texas though and Ava loves her new community of preschoolers she's been emerged into. We've got ourselves a dance, gym, and swim preschooler. Haha. She loves her new gymnastics class, she LOVES swim, and hopefully she feels the same about her new dance studio as well.
I feel like fall is going to be an eventful season for us, but I can't wait. There is nothing more important to me than spending time with my family and experiencing everything we can together.
Happy Thursday all!
♥- Leilani
I have heard SO many things about Upstate New York in the fall.. can't wait to see how beautiful it is in person. More importantly, I can't wait to watch my children and their father play around in big ole maple tree leaves for the first time, making so many good memories. Apparently apple cider donuts are a "thing" during this time of year, so naturally my husband has been raving about them. I know it's going to be colder up there than it is down here in the South.. my PNW soul is BEAMING and shouting for allll the cold weather to hit me. My husband's grandmother (aka Nana) lives on quite a bit of land which means Ava can run around like crazy without these icky Southern bugs getting in the way of her exploration.
Aside from our impending trip, my best friend will be here soon! It's been almost 4 months since we last saw each other and my heart is literally spurting all types of happy feels all over the place. I can't wait for Leeana to see how big the girls have gotten since we last saw her! I also can't wait to make some sweet memories with her down here. Thankfully, she'll be coming when the weather isn't so brutal, so I'm hoping we'll get a lot of bucket list destinations checked off.
My dad should also be visiting pretty soon here too! I think every single month until the new year, someone will be visiting us in our Texas home. I LOVE THAT. Having our family visit us makes it feel like we aren't missing a beat. It makes it feel like the time here in Texas is going by so much quicker. I told myself to fly with the girls to Washington a couple times a year.. I just don't know that my heart is ready to go home quite yet, even though I miss Washington like crazy. We are planting some roots here in Texas though and Ava loves her new community of preschoolers she's been emerged into. We've got ourselves a dance, gym, and swim preschooler. Haha. She loves her new gymnastics class, she LOVES swim, and hopefully she feels the same about her new dance studio as well.
I feel like fall is going to be an eventful season for us, but I can't wait. There is nothing more important to me than spending time with my family and experiencing everything we can together.
Watkins Glen State Park - Upstate New York ( my camera is going to be in camera heaven)
Happy Thursday all!
♥- Leilani
Monday, August 29, 2016
Olivia has been eating solid foods for just over a month now, and it has become very apparent that she does not prefer foods being fed to her. She also doesn't really care for puree baby foods all that much either. We even tried to pour puree food on the highchair cover for her to possibly grab and eat herself.. both messy and very ineffective. So here we are sitting in the same position that we were with Ava bug just three years prior. With Ava, we continued to push purees and eventually she just jumped on board. Justin and I decided we didn't want to take that route with Olivia. Thus the reason decided to look into baby led weaning.
Some of you might be wondering: What is baby led weaning?
“Baby Led” is an approach to weaning and introducing solid foods to your baby.
Some of you might be wondering: What is baby led weaning?
“Baby Led” is an approach to weaning and introducing solid foods to your baby.
Introducing solids to your baby using “table foods” rather than purees is what baby led weaning is all about. I will be honest, I associated alll the negative stigmas with baby led weaning. More so because I've heard SO many incidents where babies are choking, (in some cases) dying, and overall not having good experiences with being fed table food without proper precaution. I've also never been comfortable giving our babies solid foods when they don't have teeth to chew. With all this in mind, we decided to take a leap and start Olivia off on a very, very ripe banana. Each piece of banana was the size of about a pea (or a tad larger, at first). To our surprise, she picked up every single piece given to her and ate it. Without trouble. Without hesitation.
I then decided to make the ripe banana pieces slightly larger - about the size of three baby puffs stacked together. Our girl did wonderfully with those sized pieces as well. After watching Olivia eat an entire portion of banana, we realized this would be how our daughter would be eating her foods from here on out.
This afternoon (after her nap), I tried the same route with pears. TOTAL HIT. She loved it, ate most of it, and lunchtime ended with a happy baby Livy!
♥- Leilani
Monday, August 22, 2016
Last night was rough. I mean it was really rough. Both girls are currently sick (we just found out Ava was sick last night) and we are exhausted. Yesterday, I could tell something was off with Ava. Her face looked a bit sunken in, she wasn't being her normal active, bouncing up and down three year old self. She wasn't hungry, she looked exhausted to be honest. We had a really busy last three days, so part of me just assumed that it was due to being on the go so much.. but then as the night progressed, my mommy instincts just knew that my little girl was sick. Justin didn't think so at first, but I knew. Olivia has had congestion, a runny nose, and coughs for the last 2-3 days? So i knew with her cold we just had to let it ride its course.
We put Ava to bed last night and I kept telling Justin that she was going to puke. To my surprise, she didn't. In fact, Ava made her way into our room after midnight just wanting to cuddle... then literally moments after she got cozy in our bed.. VOMIT! I knew it. I knew it was coming. I was able to turn her body towards the end of the bed so the vomit was on the floor and not our bed. She did get some on the pillow she was using, but other than that- our bed was puke free ( I still changed the bedding, the pillows, and sanitized EVERYTHING). Justin carried her into the bathroom so she could finish puking in the toilet. I immediately go to work on cleaning up the vomit that was inches away from the bassinet Olivia was fast asleep in.
I have such a weak stomach for stuff like this, but when it comes to my kids.. I just suck it up and get the job done. I could tell that Ava had nothing left to puke up - partially by the contents that were on our bedroom floor and because I couldn't hear anything from the bathroom. Justin ran Ava a lukewarm bath and let her just enjoy the water while I cleaned up. I put a load of the vomit laundry in the washer, washed my hands, and then immediately went into the bathroom to bathe Ava. While I was doing that, Olivia woke up.. I'm sure it was due to the fact that our BRIGHT bedroom lights were shining on her face. Luckily, Justin was there to scoop her up and cuddle her.
I knew she wanted to nurse, so we had to switch kiddos after I got Ava out of the bathtub. I quickly got Ava dressed in her vomit free pajamas and all three of us girls settled into fresh sheets while Justin used the spot cleaner to take away the lovely strawberry stained vomit spot from the side of our bed. Both girls immediately fell asleep even with the loud noises of the spot cleaner blaring in our room. In those moments, I actually got emotional.
Emotional because I am so thankful that my husband was there. Don't get me wrong, I can tell he definitely misses being on the line with his combat brothers, but this recruiting assignment has been a god sent for our entire family. There have been many a puke nights where it was just me cleaning up after our little girl. Where it was just me trying to juggle everything all at one time. Every night that I lay my head on my pillow, Justin is right beside me. I can't tell you how amazing it feels not to be alone. I know this might not last forever, but I'm relishing in the fact that it's our current situation.
♥- Leilani
We put Ava to bed last night and I kept telling Justin that she was going to puke. To my surprise, she didn't. In fact, Ava made her way into our room after midnight just wanting to cuddle... then literally moments after she got cozy in our bed.. VOMIT! I knew it. I knew it was coming. I was able to turn her body towards the end of the bed so the vomit was on the floor and not our bed. She did get some on the pillow she was using, but other than that- our bed was puke free ( I still changed the bedding, the pillows, and sanitized EVERYTHING). Justin carried her into the bathroom so she could finish puking in the toilet. I immediately go to work on cleaning up the vomit that was inches away from the bassinet Olivia was fast asleep in.
I have such a weak stomach for stuff like this, but when it comes to my kids.. I just suck it up and get the job done. I could tell that Ava had nothing left to puke up - partially by the contents that were on our bedroom floor and because I couldn't hear anything from the bathroom. Justin ran Ava a lukewarm bath and let her just enjoy the water while I cleaned up. I put a load of the vomit laundry in the washer, washed my hands, and then immediately went into the bathroom to bathe Ava. While I was doing that, Olivia woke up.. I'm sure it was due to the fact that our BRIGHT bedroom lights were shining on her face. Luckily, Justin was there to scoop her up and cuddle her.
I knew she wanted to nurse, so we had to switch kiddos after I got Ava out of the bathtub. I quickly got Ava dressed in her vomit free pajamas and all three of us girls settled into fresh sheets while Justin used the spot cleaner to take away the lovely strawberry stained vomit spot from the side of our bed. Both girls immediately fell asleep even with the loud noises of the spot cleaner blaring in our room. In those moments, I actually got emotional.
Emotional because I am so thankful that my husband was there. Don't get me wrong, I can tell he definitely misses being on the line with his combat brothers, but this recruiting assignment has been a god sent for our entire family. There have been many a puke nights where it was just me cleaning up after our little girl. Where it was just me trying to juggle everything all at one time. Every night that I lay my head on my pillow, Justin is right beside me. I can't tell you how amazing it feels not to be alone. I know this might not last forever, but I'm relishing in the fact that it's our current situation.
♥- Leilani
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