Hi…My Name is Julie & I am a Bad Blogger

Now that it is out there in the open, here is a really long picture-filled post to re-cap the past month :)  I would promise to do better, but I think we have all heard that before.

Grace Anna

She had her 1-Year appointment with Dr. Kim this month.  She is a tiny peanut, weighing in at only 17 lbs, but we weren’t too surprised given how short her mommy is :)  She is doing great, but had to start on iron drops…no fun – they stain her teeth :(  Fortunately we had a dentist appointment and they are able to polish them clean when we need.  It’s expensive, so we will be spacing the cleanings out every few months, but I can’t stand for her to have those grey spots on her pretty little smile!  She is currently OBSESSED with animal sounds and animal books!  She will go in her room, get a book about animals, and bring it to me to read to her – all while growling and mooing.  It is just about the cutest thing ever! 

She is still a great eater, but WILL NOT drink milk, no matter what.  I have tried vanilla, strawberry, chocolate, soy, carnation instant breakfast mix, mixing in breast milk, serving it warm, serving it in a bottle, and pretty much any other way you can imagine…all with the same result…she takes one sip, makes a terrible face, lets it all dribble down her chin, and then refuses to touch that cup the rest of the day.  Stinker!  She is also giving me a hard time trying to wean her…we are down to morning & night only, but I think she would still nurse every 2-3 hours if I would let her!

Collin James

My big boy – LOVE him!  He keeps me laughing, and loves to laugh at his own jokes too.  He is still obsessed with “hi-yah” fights, super heroes, Disney characters, and playing legos & cars.  He knows more and more letters each week, and can even start to write a few of them…when he really wants to ;)  I don’t ever push him to do it, so our “school time” usually only lasts a few minutes.  He is turning into such a good little eater – we had beef stroganoff with green beans and salad for dinner tonight, and I didn’t hear (hardly) any complaining!  I never thought that day would come!!  Bye-bye frozen chicken nuggets :)  He can still wear both size 2 & size 3 clothes, although the best fit would be somewhere in between. 

He is so friendly, and regularly strikes up conversations with strangers in Publix, Target, Wal-Mart, or anywhere else.  He is also in an awkward question phase which frequently leaves mommy embarrassed:  “Why is she naked?” – Collin’s version of naked is a strapless top of tank top.  “Where’s your daddy?” – asked to most single ladies we meet…and by daddy he means husband.   He is also on a first-name basis with the drive thru lady at Zaxby’s :)  Collin also loves to tell strangers what we have been doing, or interesting family facts such as, “When my daddy sleeps he snorts” – told to the hairstylist cutting his hair.

He has started naming restaurants as we drive by & gets really really excited when he knows them all – or if he spots a Chili’s or Starbucks.  Then he likes to list all the people that we have eaten with at each particular restaurant.

Together

They are starting to really play together and it is adorable!  Collin has (somewhat) accepted the fact that Grace wants to be his little shadow, and actually comes to get her if she wonders away.  He will call her, and most of the time she will actually come to him – LOVE IT!!  He will also take her hand and lead her somewhere, and he is careful to walk slowly for her (as long as mommy is reminding him).  Don’t get me wrong, he has his moments of pushing her down, taking a toy from her, or trying to close her in/out of a room…but she pulls his hair, knocks down his towers, and tears up his artwork any chance she gets…so it goes both ways.  They both love being outside and going to the park, so that has become a regular routine for us.  We also go to the zoo usually once a week :)  I want to start taking them back to story time at the library, and hope to have time for that this summer.

And now for the picture overload from the past month :)

A recent favorite is carrying around the remotes & hiding them from us.  She also likes to find keys & cell phones to hide :)

The preschool where they go & I work 2 days each week had a Family Farm Day for teachers and families.  It was so much fun & the kids had a blast!  Collin loved trying to rope the fake calf – my adorable cowboy <3

He was so serious!

They loved the play house too!

Collin loved the horse & buggy rides so much he even agreed to go with one of his favorite teachers, Miss Rauch!  I couldn’t believe he wanted to go with mommy & daddy.

Trying to beat the heat in our kiddie pool.

Poor baby girl got a pretty bad boo-boo on her nose from a face-plant in the driveway :(  But that didn’t stop her from having fun at the zoo a few days later!

Sharing a snow cone.

Our first pool day of the summer – this is an awkward picture of Collin, but it is the only one I got that day, so I wanted to use it :)

Mother’s Day Tea Party at FBJA (preschool)

More zoo fun with friends – Max & Chandler

I cannot believe this baby girl is 13 months old!  I think she looks like a little doll!

Family Fun Day – park trip & lunch at Crusiers!

These kids are too big!!  Where did the babies go?

Collin having fun with the race car exhibit at church before the children’s musical.  This year I got a little teary-eyed watching the musicals thinking that Collin James will be up there soon.

And that’s about it!!  Up next – Memorial Day Weekend trip to Pensacola!