Falling flower petals

How many times have I used the word "cute" or "adorable" in this blog so far? It really only tells one side of the story...Of course my kids are cute, most of the time.

Life with two kids under the age of three isn't always kittens, and puppies, and sugar and spice....Toddlers run away from you when they need new diapers, they feel and show their emotions 110 percent. They throw, pinch, hit, cry, scream, and steal toys ....I roll with the 'punches' most of the time because, A. I have to and B. I'm used to it and I have learned how to anticipate and react (most of the time). Sometimes I just have to laugh it all off.
The great thing about Finley's new highchair is that it buys me a little time because she is learning how to feed herself, particularly cheerios. According to Ryanne, cheerios are 'baby food' and have become quite a novelty. I think she see's how much attention the baby gets around here, so why not also act like a baby? Finley plays, eats, laughs, plays and tosses the cereal all over her chair and floor, but Ryanne....she gets them all over the house. I CRINGE every time I step on one as it crunched under my foot and turns into a wheaty pile of ash. As of today, it has happened at least a dozen times. That ash either sticks to my foot and/or gets carried to other parts of the house. OMG! Perhaps I should start feeding Finley flower petals, so at least they would look pretty ALL over the floor. =)

A day in pictures

So much can happen in a day, especially when your days start at 5:30 or 6am if she is nice. What is so great about watching the girls go through their day is the fact that they live so presently. Its not about what we have to do later but what is happening now. I love it, even if its exhausting for us adults.
Ryanne recently saw a cover of a magazine with the Toy Story characters on it...She has become so attached to 'Buzz light year' the astronaut and 'Woody' the cowboy. So we added a cowgirl hat to the dress up box. Originally she was scarred of Buzz, until her dad talked her through what an astronaut does, and why he has a clear bubble over his head. It just takes a little eye to eye explaining. I just tucked Ryanne in for a nap right beside her pretend Buzz. She thought it was pretty funny that I told Buzz to have a good nap and got a kiss.
Another fleeting adorable moment occurred when Ryanne heard me mention her sister "Flibbley"...it is what she called her sister since she was born, and it stuck...although this time Ryanne corrected me and said "No, mommy, its Fin-leeeeee". The name Flibbley will always be a part of our family. To Ryanne, it made all the sense, to me it was the beginning of an end to some of my early days with two little ones. However, I know I have many more stages to look forward to.
Ryanne has become such a caring little person...she wants to swaddle everything she sees, not only her stuffed animals but also her blocks. Her blanket was too big, so she went with a tissue for the blocks. Makes sense, doesn't it? Ryanne was able to calm her sister down at the breakfast table this morning with some TLC. Fin was crying and hungry, and Ryanne told her "Its OK, don't cry Finley, mommy is coming".....grrrbbblllaaahhhh- so cute!
Its becoming hard to find a photo of Finley when she ISN'T smiling...She seems to like her sister's chair, and has finally grown into her flipper slippers...which are renamed "flibbly's slippley's".

We are back to hiding from the camera sometimes

why buy toys when we have kitchen gear?

To welcome the hummingbirds

Finley wants to eat the phone

Toddler-dome

Cheeky little under-things

Spinning.......

Shush is staying at her own risk

So many things happen during the day that I want to write down, and never forget. But life happens, and with my not-so-new mommy brain, its gone in a matter of moments...So when I sit down to write, I get excited when I can remember a few things. Recently a few of those things are the quiet chatter of the girls when they wake up. I love to hear the chatter because they sound so happy and well rested. Ryanne talks about her parents, animals, pup pup and wanting to go downstairs to play. She sings to herself sometimes too. Often I wait and put my ear next to the monitor just to hear that little voice. Finley will make adorable squeaky noises until we come up to get her when she greets us with a huge gummy smile. The other day Ryanne was in the back seat counting...once she got up to 18 or so, asked her what she was counting, and she said "cars that are going past"...uh, of course.
Another question I asked her recently was if she wanted a boy or girl cousin? She said both....but since JOHN AND LEE ARE HAVING A BABY, I told her she had to choose....so she said Girl, then Boy!!! We are SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO excited to have another babe in the family. (yes I got the go-ahead on spreading the news).. Here are some photos from our picnic in our tini-tiny front yard. Finley is sitting up very well...We have started to introduce lots of varieties of foods. She pretty much is exactly opposite than Ryanne in the food department..she eats almost anything. She can grab cheerios and eat them herself, she loves rice (even rice from a chipotle burrito), scrambled eggs, kiwi and lots of other fruits. I have introduced a small sippy cup that she is starting to get the hang of. I did that kind of early but because she doesn't take a bottle consistently (and probably never will) I thought I'd get her used to a cup early. Eating is quite entertaining for her (she obviously IS my daughter) and she has actually given Ryanne some new ideas about trying new foods. Finley also is learning new things like splashing in the tub and tapping toys at our request..and we are pretty sure she knows her name. She is starting to work hard on crawling and pulling herself around and up on things...its wild and nerve racking all at once. Recently for Ryanne she has been interested in her wardrobe and her hair....starting early you ask? She see's her mom put her hair up and now she wants to try it too. She wanted pig tails for school today...and does that dress come in my size?

a taste of summer

Last week was beautiful here. Having the opportunity to go outside really is a mood lifter...for all of us. Shush, the girls and I explored the neighborhood ...talking to bugs, seeing the new building sites and eating popsicles until the bugs talk to us....We are thrilled its springtime. The cheerio spill is what happens when we stay inside. I think those were left on our floor for hours...

Mudda's Day

We picked up where Ryanne left off...she calls it "Mudda Goooooose". She has been interested in Mother Goose recently. It could be the short stories or the whimsical pictures, OR it could be because its a long book and it prolongs bedtime...Either way, we like that she is interested. I had a great Mudda's Day today. It felt like the official first one, because before now, Ryanne was too young to actually participate in celebrating. Today she said "happy mudda's day mommy" as if she was from Jersey, quite a number of times. We went out for brunch together, enjoyed the 65 degree sunny weather, watched some Cleveland sports (is it father's day too?) and went on a long walk outside together. Finley also sat in a restaurant highchair for the first time today...and did quite well. Even on mother's day, Finley showed her true colors, she has been singing "da, da, da, dad, dad, blah, blah, da, da, dad"..REALLY? In between those pleasant moments were a few bumps and tears, sleepy nap times, crazy meal times, and diaper changes. Standard.

I love Finley's face here

Love this one

Playing together..

She is getting better with showing her chicklets for photos





Found her Diaper..



That is what you get for trying to eat my toes....


Ryanne begged me to take a photo of 'Pup pup'

Our homemade playdough