Leila's First Feeding

Oh children. They are all so different, aren't they? Let me remind you a little of how things went with Christian's first solid food experience here

He was a joy. He took one bite and never looked back. His first feeding and he ate THE WHOLE bowl.

Now Leila? She's a different story. I should preface this by saying she has never been a great eater. I pretty much have to beg her to nurse most of the time. If it were up to her, she would eat two to three times a day and waste away to nothing. I mean, who has time to eat when there is so much to do and see!? I mixed up the bowl of rice cereal with high hopes...that were dashed almost immediately. She took one bite and that was it. She managed to dodge the spoon like a freaking ninja. I couldn't believe how quickly she could move and avoid that spoon! 

Here she is eyeing the spoon - already wary



Big brother motivating her and trying to show her how it's done. "Open wide Baby Leila".







I get a little bit in.



HA! Don't you just love that expression? It says it all, doesn't it?

Not amused

You want me to eat WHAT!?

Get me outta here

A Haircut was Inevitable and a 6 month update

My kids and their hair. It's incredible, really. How many moms can claim giving both of their kids their first haircut before 6 months?

Remember this little guy?

Here he is before the haircut. I titled this picture "Bath Pimp" :)

And here he is after the head shave. 6 months

7 months

 Leila's problem was different than Christian's. He was losing his hair around the middle and the front so it just looked FUNNY. With Leila, it was getting into her EYES and looking crazy.

Here she is - the chubby little minx. Before - looking cray-cray on the left and then her sleek pixy on the right.

At 6 months, Little Miss is definitely developing a personality all her own. She is fiesty, but sweet. She currently loves screeching, standing, trying to throw herself off couches, her chair, the bed, whatever. She likes to stretch her legs out and bounce and basically doesn't want to be contained. She is eating better, but solids are NOT going well. That will be another post. She is still sleeping great and is very curious. On her first trip to Disneyland she was a dream. She loved watching all the people and the bright colors. I think her favorite ride was probably Small World, followed closely by Pirates of the Caribbean. Leila ate up all the attention from her extended family on both sides and did not disappoint on the cute factor. I am so happy she is mine :)

Happy 6 months, Leila girl. You are such a joy.

Happy 5 Months, Leila!

Happy 5 Months to my sweet girl. Here is an impromptue photo shoot of my little doll. After the Primary Program practice on Saturday we went to the park to let Christian run around and be crazy after having to be SO GOOD for an hour and a half while I played the piano for the kiddos.

I cannot even express how much I love this girl. More and more of her personality is starting to shine through and I am loving it. She is quick to laugh and smile, buuuuuuuuutttt....SUPER stubborn. SUPER STUBBORN. I can't wait to see what her teenage years will be like. Right now she loves to sit up and chew on whatever toys she can get her pudgy fingers on. She doesn't have any teeth coming through yet, but there is some serious drool going on so I know it's on the horizon. She is starting to get interested in food and has begun reaching for whatever we are eating or holding.

Her favorites right now are: Having Christian hold/play with her. She thinks he is HILARIOUS! I love watching them interact and I hope that they are creating a great and lasting friendship; siblings are the best! She loves sitting in her Bumbo seat so that she can feel like she's part of the group. She loves playing with our cat, Dora and petting her nose. Mom has to be on the look-out to make sure that there is no whisker pulling going on though, because that is another favorite! Other favorites include hitting people with her rattle, kicking her legs, patty cake, raspberries on her belly and getting tossed (gently!) in the air by her dad. Oh, she also likes when he rubs her feet on his beard and screaming like a banshee for fun. This girl has a DEEEEEEP voice, so she loves to screech and thinks it is so funny. Mom did not think it was as funny...especially when I thought it was a cat getting run over.

Things she hates: Being on her tummy, but I make her do it anyway...more motivation to learn how to roll over, girl! Laying down on her back because then she is missing out on the action. Being left alone for even a second and her Mom trying to make her eat when she really just wants to look at anyone and everyone around her. She is SUCH a busy body; it's pretty funny.

Happy 5 months Lala :D

The small things make all the difference

Yesterday was kind of a hard day. I felt out of sync and kind of stressed/behind all day. I am not sure why that is - other than lack of sleep. I got home from work and I still just felt behind and anxious. But instead of letting it fester, we had FHE. I had Book Club Monday night so we decided to move FHE to Tuesday and I am so glad that we did!

I cut out pictures of Jonah, the whale, the people of Nineveh, the sailors and the boat. I pasted them to cardstock to make it sturdy and I told Christian all about Jonah. I told him about how Heavenly Father had asked him to tell the people of Nineveh that they were making bad choices and Jonah was afraid and so he didn't listen. He tried to run away from what Heavenly Father wanted him to do. He got on a ship and Heavenly Father sent a frightening storm and so Jonah had the sailors throw him off the ship and he was swallowed by a whale. For three days he had time to think about what he was supposed to do. After the three days, and a lot of praying, the whale spit Jonah back onto land and Jonah was able to make better choices and listen to what Heavenly Father wanted him to do. He went back to Nineveh and told the people they were making bad choices and they listened! And everyone was happier! And we can be happy too when we listen to Heavenly Father.

Simple, water-downed version of Jonah, right? I cannot tell you what joy it brought my heart to not only share this simple story with Christian, but how excited and fascinated he was with it.

Afterward, we carved our pumpkins. Christian did not have as much fun as I expected. In fact, he didn't even want to touch it! Once I took the top off and showed him the insides, he just kept saying, "Ewwwww! That's gross!!" over and over and over. I tried to tell him that it wasn't gross, it was cool and he said, "It's cool? Nooooo! It's GROSS!!!". hahahaha Love that kid. Needless to say, Jared and I carved the two pumpkins, but Christian got to pick what we carved. I did Lightning McQueen (no surprise there!) and Jared did a "scary face" aka Jack from The Nightmare Before Christmas. I think they turned out pretty good :)

And yes...that is our baby sitting in the dark next to the pumpkins :)
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Kids Say the Darndest Things Volume 1

I guess really this should be Volume 2 because there have been SOOOO many funny things Christian has done that I have already shared. If you haven't heard about Noah being Santa Claus, Baby Jesus and Noah being best friends, Baby Jesus not being able to swim or Daniel praying to be eaten by the lions, tell me and I will give you the scoop.

One of the absolute best parts of having a 2 year old (honestly, one of the only great things about having a 2 year old...thank you tantrums!) is the funny things they say. Here are some of my favorites of late.

In Sacrament meeting, Christian was again playing with his beloved Bible Quiet Book. This time, Elaine was playing with him. They got to the page with Daniel, the lions and the lion's den.

Me: Who is that?
Christian: Daniel!
Elaine: Uh. The Prince!
Me: That is Daniel. And who was Daniel?
Christian: A Prophet!
Elaine: A DOLPHIN!?

I couldn't stop laughing! Looks like Elaine is getting different lessons at home ;)

In FHE this week Jared was teaching about the scriptures. He started to talk about Moroni and drew a parallel to the Angel Moroni on top of the temples because we had learned about them/him before.

Jared: Do you remember Angel Moroni?
Christian: Yes!
Me: Remember, he is the one on top of our temples
Jared: Moroni wrote in the scriptures. He made a promise to us....
Christian: No, no, no, no, no. Uh Angel uh temples and Jesus and Fireworks!
Jared: Well, Angel Moroni is on the temples and the temples are Jesus's house...
Christian: Yeah! Jesus! He...He...He...He loves fireworks.
Jared: (talking over Christian at this point) Moroni wrote in the Book of Mormon and he made us a promise..
Christian: NO! No scriptures!

Don't you love when your carefully planned FHE lessons are hijacked by a toddler?

Last night when we pulled up in front of the house Christian started to roll down his window.

Christian: I no can touch the trees! Uuuuummmppphhh (reaching for the tree across the street).
Me: You can't reach it? You need to get out of the car. You can't reach it while you are in the car.
Christian: Maybe Jesus can help me?
Me: (laughing) Yes! Maybe! How do we ask Jesus for help?
Christian: Oooooohhhh JEEEESSSSUUUUSSSS (if any of you have seen Mickey Mouse Clubhouse it sounded a lot like calling for Toodles). Ooooohhhhh JEEEESSSSUUUUSSS. OOOOOHHHHH JEEEEESSSSUUUUUSSS.
Me: (laughing some more)
Christian: Oh no. Jesus no come. Uh...maybe He in the house?
Me: Yes! Maybe He is in the house!
Christian: LET'S GO!

I love my little man and I love that he is so excited about what he is learning. It is hard work trying to teach a person the basics, but I wouldn't trade it for the world!

Life is a whirlwind...again

What can I say? Working full time with two kids is hard. HARD. I don't care who you are. It is hard physically and emotionally. I am constantly exhausted. You think having a newborn is hard? Try getting up to go to work when you only have 4-5 hours of sleep a night and you never get a day off because your hubby works Saturdays and church is at 9:00 am Sundays. Do you feel sorry for me yet? Good. Now that that's outta the way....

Life is crazy right now. I am trying to slow down and enjoy every minute, but it's hard when you feel like you are missing your kids growing up. Just this morning, Christian woke up as I was leaving for work and started to cry and beg me not to go. Heart breaking. With that being said, I am grateful for the job that I have and that I am able to keep a roof over our heads while Jared continues to progress in his career. Speaking of which, the new salon is scheduled to open November 15th which is very exciting! Jared will be doing hair there as they get things finished up the month before, but I can't wait to see how everything turns out. I really feel like this new set-up is a blessing for our family and I hope it affords us the opportunity for me to stay home. Fingers crossed!

In other news, last month we were able to have Leila blessed in church. My-oh-my what a beauty she was that day. It was such a special day - even though I was a hot mess (picture unecessary stress and quite a few tears! I am so grateful that both sides of my family love me regardless of my breakdowns....or at least pretend to!), Leila was a sweetie. She cried a little as Jared held her, but soon she was encircled by the men in our lives (although some were missed....Jon and Al!) and she calmed right down. The day was beautiful and sunny and the spirit was strong. Afterward, we went back to our house for a delicious nacho bar. I am so grateful for all the people who came and supported us for her special day. Here are some of my favorite shots from the day.  

Daddy and Leila before church. The dress and bow were courtesy of a very close friend who made them especially for her!

Love my little princess. She is such a smiley baby!




Jared's side of the family...well...some of them!

 And for your viewing pleasure - here are my two freaking adorable kiddos. I know, I know, just as I said that you want to roll your eyes and tell yourself that they aren't that cute, but before you do just remember...I always think your babies are cute so you better appreciate mine. ahahaha Enjoy the cuteness that follows!



How can you not love his sweet face and her squishy thighs?

Big brother kiss! What a tender-hearted boy I have.

Leila: Me? Cute? Tell me something I don't know!

Beautiful blue eyes! Christian's are blue, but hers are different. They are so deep and dark blue...I hope she keeps them!

Finally caught him looking at the camera and now Leila looks away! Blasted kids!

I think she is gearing up to slap him.



They are so happy together.

It's hard to believe that these two cuties are mine and Jared's, huh? Believe me...I am surprised too!

CHRISTIAN: Loves Thomas the Train, Suuuuuuda (=soda), his binkie and blaaaaanket, running around like a crazy person, singing the "ABC's", "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star", and "Jesus Wants me for a Sunbeep". His favorite food is macaroni and cheese, he tries to fight me for fruit snacks all the time, even if he just woke up in the morning. His favorite cereal is...cereal and milk and strawberries (translation + Special K w/ strawberries). His best friend is still Elaine, but Brooklyn is coming in at a very close second and may soon overtake that coveted spot. He loves to snuggle mom and dad and read books. He is getting more coordinated and more used to his long arms and legs and big feet. When he throws things I always cover my face because that kid can THROW. His favorite numbers are 8, 13 and 16. Oh and he loves to WHINE. Blah. Very much looking forward to that stage ending.

LEILA: Well, she is balding in the back - I guess it was inevitable. She is still sleeping great, usually 10 hours a night and is down to 5-6 feedings. When I go in and get her in the morning she gives me a big open-mouthed grin and starts kicking her arms and legs in a frenzy; I love her enthusiasm! Leila still has the deepest voice I have heard in a baby and I have come to find that translates into her laugh...it is almost a growl; HILARIOUS!. She looks great in pink, just as a little girl should. Right now she is loving her little play mat, but if she is being held, she wants to sit up and see the world. I have noticed that even though she is super easy-going and sweet, that she is unwavering. With Christian, he always knows exactly what he wants and is very determined. Leila is stubborn. She isn't a punk, but doing things her way, on her timeline, is a must or she fights you BIG TIME. I can't wait to see what happens as she gets older. Oh well, I guess if she is gonna be hell on wheels, at least I will be well-rested :D

4 Months

Tuesday marks the end of 4 months being off from work. That is the most time I have taken off from working since...well...since I started working, I think! It has been bitter sweet. I never, in a million years, would have thought that I would miss working, but there are definite days that I do. Being a stay at home mom is no joke. I think anyone who has ever talked to a stay at home mom has heard them say how difficult it is, and I knew it would be hard, but this is harder than I could have possibly imagined. Don't get me wrong, there are amazing parts - I love having my own schedule, I love not having to cram in laundry and shopping and cleaning and everything else in on my one day "off" (because let's be honest, for Mormons, Sunday is NOT a day off). I love watching Christian try new things, and run around like a crazy person and taking him to the park and just enjoying my time with him. I love nursing Leila and seeing her smile and light up and kick her legs and flail her arms when she hears my voice. I love that I don't have a whopping 3 hours with them each day when they are awake all the while trying to get dinner on the table and then cleaned up and them in bed. I love that I am the one who gets to take them to the doctor's appointments and that I am the one who gets to read them books and sing to them. I am so grateful for the time I have gotten to spend with them.

But there are some crazy times too. Christian is 2 - and while he is an incredible child, he is still freaking TWO. It is enough to drive a sane person crazy. Today, he decided it was a good idea to take his little plastic Lightning McQueen chair and put it on the couch and try to sit on it. Great idea! And before you judge me, I promise I do step in before he does crazy things if I believe that he will get REALLY hurt. But I also believe that you can't keep a kid in a box, and they need to be able to experience things, even the bad consequences of choices. So here he is sitting on this chair...on the couch, completely content with a big grin on his face when he topples over and hits his face on the arm of the chair. I just shake my head and try not to laugh when he comes to me crying. Here's the kicker - he got up and DID IT AGAIN. Even now I am just shaking my head. Toddlers are insane. He screams and cries and throws tantrums and knows how to push every single one of my buttons.

Man, I love that kid though. And Leila too, but she is as sweet as sugar and I don't have any fun stories of her...yet!

But I digress.

Tuesday I am scheduled to go back to work. It seems so surreal to me. I can't imagine walking back into that office again - I feel like I am not the same person as I was 4 months ago. With Christian, I went back to work when he was 6 weeks old; Leila will be 12 weeks and it still seems like she is too young. I don't know how people do this. But then I think about the crying and the tantrums and the obstinate children and I realize that I know EXACTLY how people do this. Is it terrible that I am so torn? Am I bad mom? Probably. But that doesn't change the fact that I am different. I am not a corporate woman anymore - someone driven to succeed and excel and move up the ladder. My priorities are different and there is no denying that. I am not sure what I am going to see when I put on that suit again and look at my reflection. Someone trying to play the part, I imagine.

While I am here, I may as well give you an update:

Christian is wonderful. He is sweet and funny and thoughtful. He is also a punk. One minute he will be caressing Leila's head and giving her a kiss, and the next trying to walk on her face. His voice still makes me laugh. There are things he says that I don't want to correct. "Mom, How DOOD DIS?" and "I want cereal and milk and SCRAAAAWBERRIES". He is trying to learn what makes us laugh. If we see something funny (or not) he will say, "Whaaat happened? It's funny?" He hates baths until he gets in and then I can't get him out. He would eat fruit snacks and soda all day everyday given the chance. He tries to talk me into either mac and cheese or McDonald's or sushi for just about every meal. I promise I don't fall for his sweet talking. He is loud and active and beautiful inside and out.

Leila is still perfect. You want a kid who eats like a champ and sleeps 8 or 10 or 12 hours straight a night, almost every night? You want a baby who smiles and coos when you talk to her or sing to her or play with her? You do? Because I have one - and it is amazing. What a blessing she has been. She loves when I sing songs with her and play pattycake with her feet. She hates baths 99% of the time and cries more when she is tired than hungry...and believe me, this girl is TIRED. She is such a sleepy kid, and I know how lucky I am. She is chubby and has crazy hair that sticks up pretty much every direction...basically, she is fabulous and I am grateful for her everyday.