Lyla: 3 months

Little Lyla,
You are 3 months old and changing so much and so fast.  Yesterday we had your 3 month pictures taken.  You were really good, but it was outdoors and you didn't want to open your eyes.  Your sister on the other hand was a little ham and thought it was all about her.  For the first time in awhile we probably got some good pictures of you, her, and the 2 of you together.  She loves you so much! She will love on you all day if we ask her too.  If the photographer was trying to take a picture of just you Irelyn was sure to get in there.  It was pretty funny.
So, at 3 months you fit into 0-3 month and 3-6 month clothes, but growing fast so mainly putting you all in 3-6's now.  Plus we have a lot of cute ones to get to in that size!  You where a size 1 diaper.  You have the biggest smile and it is so easy to get you to smile.  You can sit up!  It's brief and you lean pretty far forward, but you can do it long enough for Mommy to snap a picture at least.   You love to be held in a sitting position though and you pull up on our hands to sit and stand as well.  You are not a fan of being on your tummy.  You roll to your side and almost are rolling from your back to your stomach.  You get close and then probably remember that you don't like being on your tummy ;). 
On your 3 month birthday you slept through the night for the first time.  You sleep pretty well, but you go to bed pretty early (between 7 and 8) so you normally eat around 2 and wake up at 6.  We are trying to move all this back.  Last night you slept 9-5 and then ate and fell back to sleep till 7.  This I like.  Keep it up! 
For your 12 week birthday and right before Mommy went back to work you got your ears pierced.  You were already having a rough week with your teeth (oh yeah you must be getting some teeth and suck on your hands all the time) so I figured it was as good as time as any.  You actually did really well and after the initial piercing you had no problem with them and you seem to be doing better with your teething. 

We have had lots of outings and fun especially before Mommy went back to work.  Mommy misses you lots when I am at work and can't wait to see you!  I'll tell you again, DON"T GROW UP TOO FAST PLEASE!  Love you tons!

The End

* I wrote this yesterday 6.6.12, the day before returning to work.

Well, Lyla is now 12 weeks old and it's time for me to return to work.  It is bittersweet.  I feel more ready this time around.  I think working 4 days a week really helps with that.  I was pretty emotional when I went back after Irelyn was born and remember counting how many hours she would be at day care and how many she would be with me and worrying that she wouldn't know that I am her mommy.  Well she proved she definitely knows and clings to that knowledge at times ;).  I can also tell that Lyla knows who mommy is.  I will miss them dearly, but I look forward to getting "back to normal", working, and having adult conversations more often.
Today is my last day home so in honor of that and because timing wise it worked out we went to Lark Toys today.  The Grandmas accompanied the girls and me.  We had a great time.  Irelyn road the carousel 4 times.  The first 3 times she rode and a stationary cart on the carousel and it wasn't until the final time that she allowed us to put her on an animal (fish) that moved up and down.  Of course she loved it and didn't want to go.  We enjoyed playing in the toy store.  Irelyn showed off her amazing imagination making tea and hot dogs and who knows what else with the play toys.  I want the girls to have more wooden, timeless toys so we picked out a few things from the toy store as I promised to buy her one thing. Grandma Shari bought her some new things for her play kitchen as well. 
We enjoyed lunch and ice cream and headed back for home for naps.  On the hour car ride home Irelyn showed us all what fun, toys, and sugar will do to a 2 year old.  She was pretty funny singing, reading, and playing with a water can.
Again, it's bittersweet for this time to end and I can't believe Lyla has reached 12 weeks old. It helps knowing I will have my 1 day a week to continue to do these kinds of things with the girls and the grandmas in addition to the weekends.  If you can notice in any of the pictures Lyla got something special for her 12 week birthday as well ;).

Maple Grove

SO...last weekend I got a little treat....adult time!  Joe and I went on a mini trip to Maple Grove, MN with our friends Nikki and Kadin.  It was the longest I had been away from Lyla and the first time overnight.  Luckily they were in good hands at Grandma Trinie's house.

Grandma Shari came over for a couple hours when we first left.  Irelyn was crying and asking to come with.  I felt bad and therefore was offering her things to try and make her feel better like a cookie or fruit snack.  She wanted none of it. Finally, Shari tells her Lyla has a really stinky diaper and asks if she wants to help.  This of all things calms her down..poop.  :)

 We picked up Nikki and Kadin in Rochester after they got to do some of their very own Storage Wars.  We shopped for a bit at that mall and got some food for the road.  We headed on to Maple Grove.  Good conversation with good friends makes any car ride better!  We shopped at the Arbor Lakes, which is basically on outdoor mall.  Nikki and I spent most the time giving the boys a fashion show in the dressing room, but they missed as they were too busy playing games on cell phones. 

We stayed at the Holiday Inn.  We had criteria for a hotel and spent a few hours not finding one with all our criteria.  I finally decided on this one as it had "a theme", was close to Dave and Busters and the shopping center, had a pool and hot tub, and jacuzzi rooms (which ended up not getting).  Actually D&B was right across the parking lot.  And we were able to buy a D&B's package with our room.  The whole hotel had a Venetian theme and the water park was particularly very "themed".

 After shopping we checked into the hotel and spent a little time in the water park.  We were all pretty impressed with the water slides.  One of the fastest water slides any of us had been on. Then back to the rooms to get ready for dinner and games and Dave and Buster's. 

We had breakfast in the morning and then we were on our way again.  Joe and I had to drive to Westby for the Sytendae Mae parade and to get our girls.

Thanks Grandmas for taking good care of them!

Lyla: 2 months

Little Lyla turned 2 months old on Mother's day and we took her monthly picture. 

She had her doctor appointment today.  She is a little over 12 lbs and 22 1/2 inches.  Which puts her in the 83rd% for weight and 51st% for height.  Opposite of what we would have thought. I am very surprised by her height, because I thought she had had a big growth spurt this week because all of a sudden her pants are kind of short.  They are not tight, just short.  I thought she was tall. Maybe she has long legs and a smaller torso, I don't know. It's strange for me to have a baby not in the top 95% for both height and weight as a certain other child of mine has always been.  ;)

At 2 months Lyla is smiling and cooing and seems to really know Mom and my voice.  She loves to be talked to and makes eye contact.  She still eats about the same as she was at 1 month.  4 ounces every 4 hours or so.  She gets up once at night.  She is sleeping pretty hard by 8.  If she eats shortly before that she will sleep til around 3, but if she ate at around 6 she will get up at midnight, but then not again until around 8.  Her naps are not as predictable and I am trying to get her on a better schedule.  She tends to fight sleeping most of the morning and then take a long nap in the afternoon. 
She holds her head up well, and although I haven't been as good as I should about tummy time, the doctor was impressed when she put her on her belly and she lifted most of her torso up and then ROLLED OVER.  Showing off for the doc I guess.  She also kind of rolled over for the first time on Mother's Day so today was actually the 2nd time.  Amazing!

And just for fun another comparison of the 2.  Who is who??

Mother's Day

I cannot believe this is already my 3rd Mother's Day.  I am so thankful to be a mom.  I am also so thankful to have an amazing mom who would do anything for me and my girls.  She goes out of her way to help me out and I appreciate her SO much.  Love you Mom!
We had a great day!  Exactly how I was hoping it would be.  Church and then a picnic in Deerwood Park.  Home for naps.  Grandma Shari's for fish fry.  Irelyn also got to enjoy her pool and play do.  More pictures to come soon as I took about a million and have lots of cute ones of the babes.

My first Mother's Day 2010

Second Mother's Day 2011

Third Mother's Day 2012

The day I became a mom (and again)

And my beautiful and amazing mother

And my Mother in Law who is also such a help to me and a great Grandma

Beach Babies

Today we spent a good chunk of the morning at Pettibone beach.  Irelyn had SO much fun.  I didn't bring a swimsuit or diaper because I had no intention of her putting more than her toes in the water, but sure enough she went all in...skinny dipping I guess you could call it.  And by the way, she undressed herself.  I think the pictures pretty much tell the story, but we had a blast.  And, I'm having a hard time choosing which pictures to use :).