28 Months

Project Pinterest: Thank you cards

Time for another Pinterest craft...this time, it was a thank you card for Carter's teachers to thank them for all their help in potty training him!

It was super easy.

Supplies:
Card stock
Free printable, found here
Cup wrap from Starbucks
Twine
Starbucks gift card
Glue stick

Print out the free printable. Glue to cardstock. Open up the cup wrap and cut to fit. Glue it to the printable, making a pocket for the gift card. Slip the gift card in. Wrap with twine. Voila!

(idea for project here) 

Apple picking

This weekend was our annual apple picking adventure--Oma and Opa and Uncle Dirk and Aunt Polly came with us! It was much earlier than in past years, but it worked out great since I think the varieties of apples to be picked were the best they've been for a few years. We decided to go in the morning because Seth and I had a date night to The Melting Pot that night, and it was definitely chillier than it had been in previous years!!



 Checking out the tractor!

My golden delicious little boy! :) We took this picture last year too, so I'll have to do a side-by-side on how he's grown.

I never have any pictures with the kids because I'm usually taking them, so I made daddy step up to the plate! Love my princess!

Oma and Opa and the grandkids...

I have to be honest. I envisioned a cute fall sibling photo in a vast field with pumpkins, but it was way too muddy. We ended up having them pose in front of the props and I think it turned out as sweet as can be.

Love these two!

 

Kisses from daddy. I died of the cuteness.

We hopped on the free wagon ride and C-man had a fun time with Opa!

Our next step will be to make applesauce with the apples we picked, which could be interesting with two little helpers. :) We haven't had any homemade applesauce in the last year so it will be awesome to have it again!!

After apple picking, we had lunch back at our house and just hung out for the afternoon. Seth and I went out for our date night to The Melting Pot and had a great time. I seriously LOVE that place and think about it for days leading up to when we go. SOO good and great to spend some time talking and relaxing (in peace) while Oma and Opa watched the kids.

All in all, a good weekend! :)

Project Pinterest: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Hi, I'm Danielle, and I'm addicted to Pinterest. I remember rolling my eyes the first time I heard about Pinterest, but jumped on the bandwagon one day at the advice of my sister-in-law, and have never looked back. I LOVE to be crafty (when I have time), bake (when I have time), and decorate (when I have time). Sense a pattern there?

Anyway, I pin a lot. Like, a lot. But, I also DO a lot of Pinterest pins too! Mostly recipes, but lately I've been doing some crafts and gifts for the daycare teachers too.

Yesterday was a gorgeous [almost fall] day, and while the kids napped, I decided to make some pumpkin chocolate chip muffins instead of napping myself. Who have I become?!?! :)

It was SO easy and literally took my five minutes from supply gathering to placing them in the oven.

Ingredients

- 1 box yellow cake mix

- 1 small can of Libby's pumpkin

- 1/2-1 tsp pumpkin pie spice (optional), or a sprinkle of nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, etc.

- mini chocolate chips (how ever many you want!!)

Mix the cake mix and pumpkin (do not add eggs, oil, or water) - just mix those two things. I tasted it and thought it needed more pumpkin flavor so I added 1/2 tsp. of pumpkin pie spice. I dumped in mini chocolate chips and filled my cute souffle cups about 2/3-3/4 of the way and popped them in the oven at 350 degrees for about 18-20 minutes.

They are SO good, super easy, and really moist. You'd never know it was that easy.

Enjoy!

Out of mouths of babes...

Carter says the most random, funniest things sometimes. Here are a few from the past week or two I don't want to forget. :)

Carter: I love daddy.
Me: Aww, and why do you love your daddy?
Carter: He has money.

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Mommy (talking to Carter wearing his new big boy undies): You have such a cute little bottom.
Carter: bottom
Mommy: Yep, who has a little bottom?
Carter: Mommy. (good boy)
Mommy: Mommy does??
Carter: No, mommy has a big bottom. Carter has a little bottom. (bad boy) :)

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(On a Friday night when Seth was working...)

Mommy: Ok, bud, what do you want to do tonight?
Carter: Shake my booty.

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Such a funny stage he's in. I could probably think of a million more, but there are just sooo many to even record. :)

Talking in my sleep

Since I sometimes blog about the funny things Seth says, I figured it's only fair that I do the same for me. :)

Here are some of my during-the-night favorites of just the last few days/weeks, said by your's truly. Hey, I'm tired!! Give me a break!

- It's not uncommon for me to feel like the many-hour long stretch of sleep between feeds is only a few minutes. Several times, when Seth tells me Addison is crying (if he hears her first, which is most of the time), I'll get all snappy and say things like "MY GOSH! I was JUST in to feed her 5 minutes ago!!" and storm out, only to realize that was hours ago. Sometimes, I'll often push him away if he cuddles me at all during the night and tell him to move over or he'll crush the baby, which freaks him out because he thinks I brought her into bed after a feed. I've never brought her to bed with us, yet I continue to bring it up.

- The other night, Seth came home from work. The logo on his shirt is shaped sort of like a large "T." I was already asleep when he walked in our bedroom door, but I quickly sat up in bed and said "Your shirt looks like it has a uterus on it" and laid back down. He busted up laughing and was like HUH!?! I told him again that, without my glasses, his shirt looked like the drawing of a uterus you see in textbooks, doctor's offices, etc. We got a good laugh out of that one.

- Last night, Addison woke up to eat during the night, and, like normal, Seth kicked me to wake me up. I quickly chimed in with a "well, she'll have to wait. I'm warming her bottle now." He was so confused and was like "her bottle?!? Huh?"

I'm scared of what else I might say during the night. I babble like crazy these days...

And, I can't let him get off the hook entirely. Here's my NOT so favorite, almost-smacked-the-husband moment of the week. ;)

- Keeping in mind that I get up to feed Addison during the night almost every night since birth and and that it takes 30 minutes each time...and I also get up for work 25 minutes before him. ANYWAY, a few nights ago, I came back in from feeding her and just fell back asleep when she started fussing. I politely asked him if he would mind going in and tending to her so I could go to sleep. He huffed and got up but on his way out said "ok, but I don't want to be in there too long. I need to be fresh for work tomorrow." PUNK! He almost got the wrath of a sleepy momma. :) Good thing I love him so much!

Addison: Three Months

For starters: THREE MONTHS?!?! How did that happen?? A quarter of a year old already...my goodness. Better start planning her first birthday party. Kidding, kidding. Sort of. :)

Addison,

At three months old, you:

- Are 13 pounds, 9 oz. (based on my unscientific calculations on the home scale).
- Still have dark blue eyes, though they are lightening a bit.
- Wear size 1 diapers and size 0-3 months or 3 month clothes. You can still wear a FEW newborn onesies but they are tight length-wise.
- Take a few naps a day--usually one 1.5-2 hours after you wake up in the morning, around lunch, and in the afternoon. They are still mostly in the swing, though you will nap in your crib (just not as long). You love to be turned in chest to chest to rock you to sleep and you love to bury your head in my armpit or cover your face with your arm. I think you like the dark. :)
- Slept three nights in a row for 10-11 hours straight. That was fun. Let's continue that, shall we? You mostly get up one time a night to eat and nurse in about 20 minutes with a few minutes for me to get you sleeping soundly again. Not too bad, little girl!!
- Nurse about every 3 hours during the day, and are a "grazer" at daycare, eating 1.5-3 ounces whenever you feel like it (you aren't a fan of the bottle).
- Are about 95% breastfed, and sometimes get a "top off" of formula (1-2 oz) when you are REALLY ticked off/too tired to nurse/still seeming hungry when you're done. We are using a sample can and have no intentions of buying any cans anytime soon, so keep up the good nursing work, please.
- Started daycare on 9/4 and are doing really well! Your teachers said you are the sweetest little thing and are adjusting super well.
- Are getting a little (and I do mean a little) better in your car seat. Now you wait 5 seconds when stopped at a red light before screaming rather than 2. :)
- Keep your paci in much better now, but don't sleep with one. You usually fall asleep with it in but it falls out as soon as we put you down and it never goes back in all night. Mommy likes this!
- Smile ALL THE TIME. You are seriously the sweetest little thing. You coo and ahh and I think are on the verge of laughing.
- Love face to face contact and when people talk to you. You can go from fussing to smiling in .2 seconds.
- Like to be outside and look all around.
- Rarely cry -- pretty much only when you are SUPER hungry (we catch it before the "super" stage as often as possible), have a burp, or are tired.
- Still love to be swaddled and have white noise in your room when you sleep. You practically go limp you are so relaxed and seem to have no "complaints" about your crib!
- Are getting better at really holding your head up and will soon be using the exersaucer on a regular basis. Mommy tried you in it a few times this month and you seemed to enjoy it but I had to tuck a towel behind your back because you are so tiny in there!
- Nicknames this month: Peanut, pretty girl, beautiful

You are seriously the sweetest little thing, Addison. Mommy and daddy always talk about how content and happy of a baby you are (our easy one). :) We can't wait to see the little girl you grow up to be. We love you to the moon and back, sweet girl!

And we have a family photo!

Thankfully daycare needed a family photo for a craft this week or Addison might be six before we had a family-of-four photo. :) I may have color coordinated us for the picnic for this very reason!

Busy week: Addison starts school, Carter is rocking at the potty training, and I go back to work.

Making progress!

After just a few days of Carter's newly introduced potty chart, we're making progress! He still has some accidents but is doing better and seems to be more interested. Daycare is really helping us though he does have some reservations in going there because they look like public potties, just smaller. Oh well, he'll get there. After about ten more on this chart, he "cashed them in" for three matchbox cars today.

A new chart is now underway! Here's to hoping we're done with two kids in diapers soon!