2014: A year in Review

I posted this last year, too, and thought it'd be fun to keep the tradition going.

1. What did you do in 2014 that you’d never done before?  Attempted to raise TWO kids!!

2.  Did you keep your New Year's resolutions, and will you make more for next this year?  I don't think I made any resolutions last year because of being pregnant and the chaos that comes after it.  This year I made a couple and am hoping that I stick to them.

3.  Did anyone close to you have a child.  Yep!  Moi!

4.  Did anyone close to you die.  No.  It's been blessed year!

5.  Where did you travel?  Green Bay.  Can't stray too from home with a newborn.

6.  What was the best thing you bought?  Our new kitchen!

7.  Where did most of your money go?  Our new kitchen and daycare!

8.    What did you get really, really excited about?  Our newest bundle of joy.  It still seems surreal that she is here and we are a family of 4.

9.  Compared to this time last year, are you:  a) happier or sadder? b) thinner or fatter?  c) richer or poorer?
a.  Happier, but more stressed.  There's a lot to juggle.
b.  Thinner.  Still have 20 pounds to my goal weight.
c.  Poorer.  Two kids in daycare is seriously a money drainer.

10.  What do you wish you'd done more of?  Getting out of the house more (aka date nights with Shaun)!

11.  What do you wish you'd done less of?  Spending money.  Seems like we are constantly buying something.

12.  What valuable life lesson did you learn in 2013?  Life is good.  We were blessed abundantly with a healthy delivery and baby.

Merry Christmas!

I can't believe it's almost been a month since Christmas but I need to do a photo dump of it.

Our Tree and Natvity Scene this year

We spent Christmas at my parents' house.  As always, it was nice to see everyone.

Tavin was a handful with presents.  My family opens presents one-by-one.  Meaning it's 10-15 minutes between him opening gifts, which feels like an eternity to him (and us!)  He did as well as can be expected for a 2 1/2 year old.

Livie did great.  She was content being held and watching Tavin go crazy.

We came back to our house on Sunday and opened Santa's presents.

The story behind the Buzz boots is that in getting ready for the holiday season quite a few packages got dropped off at our house and Tavin always thought there was going to be "Buzz boots" in them.  He never seemed to forget about it either.  Crazy kid!

Livie got a walker, a crawling Minnie Mouse, some security blankets, and a taggie blanket.

It was another great Christmas and we feel truly blessed with all that we were given at Christmas and throughout the year!

Dear Olivia: Month 8

Dear Olivia:

'Tis the Season!  It was a busy month for you between milestones and the holidays!

First up, you learned how to sit from being on your stomach!  Then you got your first tooth (around December 15).  You are so very close to crawling.  We know it'll only be a matter of time!

We also celebrated your first Christmas!  And your First New Year's!

Your hair has become an interesting subject.  It's starting to grow out more and in the process stands straight up!  It's rather cute!

Your personality is coming out more and more everyday.  You are so laid back and mostly quiet.  Just soaking up the world around you.

You like to babble and fake cough.  You are definitely more vocal then your brother was at this age.

I have a feeling you will be keeping us on our toes over the next couple of months as you start moving around more.

Love,
Mama

Guess Who's Rocking the Undies!?!?!

You read that right.  Tavin is 98% potty trained!!!

It first started out that he would just go at daycare. (Kudos to them for being able to get it started.) Then one weekend,  I let him run around naked for a day and bribed him with ice cream and he finally decided it was okay to go at our house.

He still has an accident every couple days but he feels bad when he does.  We also are still working on naps and night time.  But I've heard that comes with time so I'm in no rush.

I'm so proud of him!

Now, what to do with our surplus of cloth diapers???

Our Newest Addition!

Sooo we took a leap and added to our family...again....

This time another kitten!!

Our house is officially CRAZY--2 kids,  1 dog and 3 cats!!

Tavin loves the kitten, Piper.  Maybe a little too much at times.  He carries everywhere.  Sings to her, rocks her, tries to put her to bed.  She is not quite as tolerant as Daisy as she'll run when she gets the chance, but she does put up with quite a bit.

We adopted Piper from the local humane society.  The story is that she was abandoned on the side of the highway in freezing temps.  She was clinging to life.  Some nice people found her, took her in for the night and brought her to the humane society.  She was so dehydrated and malnourished that they had to give her extra fluids or she was going to die.  With some TLC from the humane society she made a full recovery!

She is now about 5 months old and weighs a little over 2 pounds!!  We have been on a constant feeding schedule to make sure she gains weight.

The first week or so we brought her home Daisy was not a fan and Minnie was indifferent.  Daisy actually hid as far away from her as possible and when they did cross paths there was lots of growling and hissing.  I was seriously contemplating if we had made the right decision.  But, finally after 3 weeks, Daisy accepted her and now they have been chasing and playing with each other.  

Welcome to the family, Piper!!

Dear Olivia: Month 7

Dear Olivia:

Time is flying and I can't keep up with it.

This past month was another blur.  We were gone to Grandma & Grandpa's for a couple weekends and stayed home a couple.

We had your 6 month pictures the beginning of November and they turned out adorable:

You have been sleeping better (thankfully).  Not sure how it happened but a switch must have flipped and you figured it out again.

It was also your first Thanksgiving.  We stayed home and made a full turkey meal for your Grandma E. and Aunt Nikki.

You have yet to start crawling.  You are still mastering getting up on all fours and figuring that out.  But man, do you get mad when you realize you can't get anywhere.  You just want to go-go-go!  

Your hair is starting to fill in a little more.  Yours is a little darker than what Tavin's was at your age.  So I'm hoping beyond all hope that it stays dark :)

We have been trying new foods as well (carrots, pears, green beans and sweet potatoes).  You gobble them all right up.

(Tavin had to sneak in and take one with you too)

Love,

Mama