One on one

My week is pretty frantic these days. Lots of diaper changing and meltdown mending. Mondays, Wednesdays, and sometimes Fridays leave almost no room for one on one time. I love having Carson here for so many reasons. But, I have to admit that I do look forward to the one on one time I get with my girls on Tuesday and Thursday. Those are the days when I really get to just be with Evie while Lila is at PDO. That being said, Lila's one on one time isn't as much as it should be. She comes home from PDO and promptly passes out. Usually, if I can swing it, Evie is asleep then too. But sometimes Evie sleeps after Lila. This would be the schedule I am aiming for but it doesn't always work out. However, on the days that it does I try really hard to just give Lila as much hugs and attention as possible.

This can be tricky. She wakes up from her nap recharged and being her loud self while Evie is trying to nap. Lately I have been trying to come up with activities to do with Lila during this time that are quiet yet engaging enough. Yesterday it totally worked out.

Lila loves my computer. She isn't allowed to play with it alone so when I sit with her and play on it she thinks it's such a big girl thing to do. She likes to find the letters and type them in different colors. We got going with this and I talked her though typing the names of people we know. She would choose "their" color and then I would spell it out and she would find the letters. After Josie she lost interest! For some reason this was so much fun for both of us! Here is the result:

LILA

MOMMY

DADDY

GRAMMY

GRANDMA

CARSON

KATIE

SARA

VIVI

ERIC

PAIGE

EVERETTE

JOSIE

Thanksgiving down South

We spent Thanksgiving at my cousin's/Grandma's for the third year in a row. The actual Thanksgiving meal is at my cousin Laura's house and then we spend the next few nights at Grandma's house. It's so nice to go there consistently for many reasons.

First and foremost, we had the best surprise! Sara came home for Thanksgiving. I know she missed us, but my girls missed her just as much. It was so great to just spend time with her. That is until she got sick! Nothing like getting a stomach bug right after Thanksgiving. But at least we were able to take care of her.

This year Lila and Anna Kate came closer to playing with each other instead of around each other. Anna Kate is exactly a year older than Lila. She is definitely the cooler older cousin with all of the most amazing toys for Lila to play with. In fact, we had to drag Lila out of Anna Kate's room to eat! Lila can typically be pretty good at playing by herself, but the number of times she told me to leave when I went to check on her hit an all time high! She also loved talking to the horse that lives next door. She tried to love the trampoline and tire swing but just wasn't sure.

Evie was one of two new babies this year. My cousin Connor and his wife Lindi had baby Emmye two months after Evie was born. I'm excited to see these two girls grow up around each other too! For now they did a lot of being held by anyone and everyone.

Relaxing at Grandma's is always one of my favorite things to do. We watch movies and simply sit around and talk. I even did a little shopping. NOT black Friday style craziness though. Grandma also enjoyed the Lady Gaga special with us! If you can't tell from these pictures, my latest obsession is instagram. LOVE IT.

I'm sure I also posted about this last year, but Grandma's street is a winter wonderland extravaganza. And would you believe Santa has a home (we'll call it his summer home) just a few houses down from Grandma? I was unsure of Lila's first encounter with Santa this year. Recently she has been pretty clingy with me and not so excited about strangers. I thought it might be a struggle to get her to even go near him. But, as she often does, she proved me wrong. He did such a good job of making her feel comfortable. I'm sure the candy canes helped too. It was Evie though that really surprised me. She seriously sat and stared at him for a very long time. No crying or panic set in. Just simple awe. It was priceless. And wouldn't you know our big fancy camera went dead within seconds of the girls being on his lap! So we got some pretty awful phone pictures.

This would be her face as she passes all of the extravaganza.

Going out of town always wipes everyone out. With little ones it can be hard to know who will sleep where, when, and for how long. In spite of the rocky road we have been on the past seven months in the sleeping department, the girls did really well. Lila didn't get any naps in, but she made up for it on the way home...

Needless to say, I am thrilled about this holiday season. Lila can identify Santa! She can understand so much and sees magic in everything at this perfect little age. Soon I will begin to attempt to continue the traditions I started last year while adding some along the way. Let's just hope you hear from me again before Christmas has come and gone ;-)

I hope you and yours had a great Thanksgiving as well. Thank you for tolerating my overly sappy and indulgent Thanksgiving posts. 

I am thankful (post number three)

I think a lot about what I have. There are big hopes, dreams, and desires all the time. Not just for myself or for Seth and I, but obviously for our kids too. But then when I get down to the nitty gritty of the day I take a look around and realize most of those hopes, dreams, and desires are already happening. I see it in a text message photo of the girls taking a bath while I go to my glamorous second job (that I am more than lucky to have). I see it in the dog that makes me crazy but tolerates her "best friend" Lila day in and day out. I see it in my mom who always has a kind word, an open mind, and a giving heart. I see it in my dad who to this day works to no end and then brings big pink tutus to his granddaughter. There are just so many ways to see the best of life.

I've never been a glass half full kind of person. Unfortunately, I lean towards realistic instead of optimistic. One time someone told me if you don't expect much then you are always pleasantly surprised. At the time I found that to be such a comforting way to walk through life. And then I married Seth...and had a baby...and then I had another one. And expectations sort of landed somewhere after the fact. And pleasant surprises became a way of life. And the glass started looking fuller and fuller by the minute. Some days so much so it overflows. It's hard to explain, but depression runs pretty deep in my family on both sides. Many times I've struggled to figure out how to rise above it. Growing up I had this redhead friend who just didn't understand the purpose of getting down. Let's just say her glass is a lot bigger and a lot fuller than most. I always wanted to be like her. I wanted to bottle up that feeling and carry it with me all the time. Instead, I just tried to make her stick around for a while so I wouldn't forget how easy it can be to just be happy and thankful.

I don't know if it takes finding what makes you the happiest and multiplying it. Maybe it takes planting the right people to be reminders. Or, it could just be taking the time to pay attention. Regardless, I am there. This Thanksgiving more than any other in my life I can't express enough how thankful I am for what I have.

Happy Thanksgiving ya'll!

For your viewing pleasure...

Two things...

1) I am only showing you the following picture because I laughed so hard at it that I figured I should share the good belly laugh. Lila decided to go to sleep last night around 10:30. Maybe even 11. Needless to say, she ended up in bed with us at around, oh, sometime. Anyway, when I woke up this morning I only saw the awesome Lila half of this sleeping situation at which time I looked at Seth, said "look", pointed, and giggled. He giggled too but it wasn't what I was expecting. He just kind of quickly got up after his laugh and went to work. Fast forward to now. I went to do my glamorous second job for forever basically and he tossed me his phone to look at pictures he had taken of the girls. I landed on this one and busted out laughing. He then tells me how he had already had a good laugh at my expense when I pointed out Lila's awesomeness this morning. Anyway, you can thank me via comments. If you didn't bust out laughing at this picture something is seriously wrong with you.

2) In an attempt to make you even happier today, here is what my day was like. Good times!!!

Thankful post number two

Today's thankful post is for my family...

I am thankful for my dreamboat husband every single day. Sometimes every single hour. We are truly partners in the land of parenthood. Not a lot of women can say that. That alone makes me uber thankful for him. But beyond that I really feel like he makes me a better person. I get in a tizzy quite a lot if you can believe that. I can be slightly unstable. He knows exactly what to do. This may be to ignore it and let it pass or to come home immediately and let me take a breather. There is no bigger blessing in life than to find someone that compliments you and loves you in every way. What's terribly unfortunate is that I have no current pictures of just Seth and I. That will have to be resolved this weekend during Thanksgiving when there will be gobs of other people to hold our children.

I am thankful for baby Burrow #1. The little princess (and I mean that in the best possible way) that Lila has become keeps me on my toes and in fits of giggles. The other day she woke up and immediately told me she needed her Tinkerbell pajamas on instead. This was a school day so I told her she had to put clothes on instead of pajamas. So then she insisted on wearing a dress. We put a dress on her, got a coat on, and two hours later were out the door :-) In the car on the way to school she started screaming telling me that she needed to take her coat off. I kept asking her why and she finally said, "because you can't see my dress!!!!". Since that day she will only wear dresses. I don't spend a lot on clothes for my kids, but I definitely didn't buy only dresses for winter. Today I told her they were all dirty. She matter of factly said, "Brandon can bring some new ones". Kids are so funny. I'm sure Brandon would love nothing more than to spend his time buying dresses. Lila spends a great deal of time in her "dress ups" and loves to pretend. She makes a really great doctor, musician, and cook. She's also an amazing big sister and recently she is trying so much harder to be a good big sister to Carson too. I just love the little girl she is becoming even though I miss the baby she was with every fiber of my being.

I am so very thankful for baby Burrow #2 as well. Evie is like a happy little bundle of smiles and laughter. I feel like I am constantly trying to make her smile (it's not very hard) because it just makes me so happy. As I've mentioned before I wake to her overwhelming happiness and there just is no better way to start your day. Lila has recently figured out the best ways to make her giggle too. And, of course, big sister gets the best, most adoring laughs out of baby Evie. Carson is a close second to Lila. Daddy gets the brightest smiles though. When he gets home she will lean and wiggle and squirm to get him to look at her. And when he does her ear to ear grin is intoxicating. Some might say she gets all of this from me. I tend to overlaugh about everything and I can get very smiley at the drop of a hat. Regardless, of where it comes from there is nothing better than baby laughter...especially from my baby :-)

Thankful post number one

My children are the luckiest. I mean, how many little girls can say they have more women to look up to than they know what to do with? I get nervous sometimes about not working. I wonder if my kids will see me differently because I didn't fight for a career or climb a ladder. And who's to say that can't still happen? In the mean time, the sheer volume of examples of successful women (yes, I am really popular) that I am friends with will have to do!

I have talked countless times about these amazing women. In this week of being thankful I want them to know they mean the world to me...and to my girls.

Here are a few examples of funny ways these ladies enter our day with or without them knowing it:

1) This is aunt Kimmie...she became a doll in Lila's doll house rather quickly. Lila talks to her frequently.  The picture below aunt Kimmie would be mommy and daddy.

2) Aunt Meg (and uncle Skip too) - Meg is due to have a baby here pretty soon. They don't know what they're having but they have names picked. When we pray for everyone (and I mean everyone) before bed I usually say "and thank you for Meg, Skip, and baby Emily". Seth usually says "and thank you for Meg, Skip, and baby Cole Trickle" because Seth has nicknames for everyone. Lila will add in (at least with me) the one that is left out. This may get confusing when the baby is actually here and she has to stick to one name. I think they should cross their fingers it's a girl or b-dub will be called "baby Cole Trickle" every time it sees Lila.

3) Aunt Josie (and aunt Vicky - Josie’s mom) - Ok, so this is what I’m talking about. How many of you have friends that haul their one year old and their mom to your house to babysit your two children so you can go on a date? I’m guessing not many. Not to mention they juggle two screaming babies and change sheets when diapers leak completely in stride. Lila is still asking me when Josie is coming back over.

These three examples are seriously just a few. I pray every night that my girls find the kind of true friends I have found.

All of this being said, Lila and Evie's real aunt, Sara, moved to NYC about a month ago. While all of these other women are so important and wonderful, no one can replace Sara. She watched Lila the whole first year of her life while living with us. I knew when Sara moved away it would be tough. She knew it too. The day before she left was really difficult. But, I keep telling her that she is so lucky to be having this experience. I often regret that I have only ever lived in Georgia. She is getting to experience so many new things at such a great time in her life. 

AND, technology makes it easier than ever to "be there" when you can't actually be there. The first few times that we tried to video chat it was a bit of a train wreck. Lila didn't want to stay in front of the camera so it was mostly Sara and I talking while I may or may not have been holding Evie. But the few times so far that Lila has really engaged it has been priceless. Lila has read books to Sara, tried to brush her hair through the computer screen, and tried to feed her play food from her kitchen. It's just adorable how the mind of a two year old works. When Lila told Sara she wanted to brush her hair Sara was about to say "you can't" but couldn't get it out because Lila was already leaning over "brushing" the computer screen. We miss you Sara but live it up for us ok??? **Side note - take a look at Sara's blog...I have to say she kind of reminds me of....me :-) www.sarabateman85.blogspot.com .

I'm going to leave you with the latest installment of the best shots from our last go at photo booth...I'm pretty sure initially they were like "wait, what's the point of this again?".

Already over it. They seem to like to just stare at themselves (go figure). I usually have to prompt them to make faces or something...

...like here...

...I think here I said "smile really big!".

Attempt number one at getting a cute hug.

I couldn't think of anything else to tell them to do.

Attempt number two at getting a cute hug (which means we will have to practice this one some more).

Lila-isms

1. own = new - Not sure why but she says the word own when she means to say new
"mommy I want own books!!", "mommy I want own music!!!", "mommy I want own crayons!!!"

2. you = me - Pronouns are still hard
"mommy can I hold you?"

3. "I'm so happy!!!" - This one usually follows an epic, knock down, drag out meltodown...it's like her way of letting you know she's over it even though her face is red, her hair is CRAZY, and tears are streaming down her face.

4. bus = any video - The first video that she ever really got into was a kid songs video where kids are dancing around and singing songs. The first song on the video is wheels on the bus. So when she wanted us to know she wanted to watch it she would say "watch bus!!!".  Now all videos are called bus.

5. "toots magoots" - This one is 100% courtesy of Seth. He says random things like this all the time. So now when she toots she says it. Or, if I ask her if she pooped she will say "no mommy, it's just toots magoots".

Alright, that's all I've got at the moment. No offense to you readers out there, but I totally just did this post so I wouldn't forget these little nuggets of everyday chatter from my adorable 2 and a half year old.

The past six months...

This post, and the new header, are dedicated to to the littlest Burrow. She turned six months old on the 5th. Making a header devoted to Evie is long overdue!

Six months ago our world changed forever for the second time. Things got turned upside down and inside out and now here we sit wondering where the time went yet again. Well, sort of.

I would be lying if I said it's been a smooth ride. The thing about Lila is that until she turned 18 months she taught us nothing about being parents. We were clueless to say the least. We got lots of sleep and very little changed. But just having one is sort of like that sometimes.

Evie made her entrance and due to some intense reflux she made it loud and clear. She screamed all the time and slept on occasion. I am of the belief that reflux is just something you really know nothing about until it's taken over your baby. I'm sure there are varying degrees of it. I am also aware that many, many more difficult things could happen. But, when you have been walking around with a screaming baby for hours after no sleep and you feel so unsure as to what is going on, you kind of feel like the world is caving in.

Then, one day, everything changes. You get to meet your real baby. The one that just wanted to be happy all along and couldn't. The one that just needed you to be patient so she could show you who she really is. The one who smiles and giggles at the drop of a hat and has somewhat of an obsession with her big sisters (Lila and Carson that is).

That day came for us a little while back and has just intensified every day since. Every morning I wake up to that little face you see on the far right up there. Every day I watch her laugh at Lila and my heart melts. Every day I snuggle her and thank God for the healthy, happy, squishy little girl that I am fortunate enough to call mine.

Here are some Evie 6 month stats:
* 17 pounds (75th percentile)
* 27 inches (100th percentile)
* has one tooth broken through and one very close!
* tried cereal and green beans and wasn't a fan of either
* "roars like a tiger" (Seth's words)...this is her current form of communication
* does this movement with her hand that looks like a backwards wave...we lean towards thinking she's advanced when really she has no idea what she's doing
* transfers a toy from one hand to the other
* is days away from sitting completely on her own...she's so close!
* rolling back to front and front to back....and sometimes ends up in odd places...

*Loves to jump...

* Loves to swing...

There you have it! Isn't she cute? Don't you just want to smooch her sweet little cheeks? 

We love you so much baby Evie!

big props

Shortest. Post. Ever.

Ready?

I would like to give a big 'ol shout out to all the single moms out there. I learned this week that I could never, ever handle it. Ok, maybe I could if I had one kid. Or maybe if I had two that were like ten years apart. Bravo ladies. They should make you the CEO of some major company simply because your children are alive.

That's all :-)

get it together

Yesterday was a bad day. Like, a really, really bad day. Seth went out of town for the week the day we decided swaddling Evie is no longer an option. Needless to say, Tuesday night involved very little sleeping for the three Burrow ladies. Lila is a child whose temperament depends on sleep. If she gets none the next day is horrendous. But these days if she gets enough the "terrible twos" seem to be slipping away. Yesterday was the worst day we have in a long time.

Carson and Lila are also going through some very opposite changes which makes my job as constant referee a little harder. Carson is entering the combative two year old world where her need for control and independence are growing. Lila is entering the stage of less parallel play and more PLAY WITH ME NOW with other kids. So here's how that looks:

L: Carson let's dance!
C: NO!
L: Carson PLEASE let's dance!
C: No thank you.
L: (entering meltdown mode and in Carson's face) Carson dance now!!!!!
C: NOOOOOO! (shoves Lila)
L: (screaming and crying like someone just shredded her blanket) Mommy Carson won't dance!!!!
.....I diffuse Lila's hysteria....Lila calms down....
C: Lila dance?
L: Ok!
.....and off they go into a blissful thirty minute running around dance fest that ends in a similar situation mentioned above about the use of a stroller, doll, magnet, or any other item in my house.

This all becomes magnified by the fact that they both can't sleep due to the snot and coughing extravaganza that has now become everyday life for them.

Most days I can diffuse most things and the times of chaos are few and far between. Yesterday just wasn't one of those days. And because Evie thinks that sleeping is something other people's kids do she starts screaming and crying just to fit in. Or because she's EXHAUSTED.

After Carson left yesterday Evie finally took a nap and Lila and I had a video chat with Sara. This part of the day was nice. Then Evie slept a little longer so Lila and I perused the Super Readers website. If you don't know, Super Readers is a fantastic little cartoon that Lila is obsessed with. She actually thought her Wonder Woman Halloween costume made her a Super Reader. Anyway, we did that for a while and then Evie woke up around dinnertime. We have no food and I desperately needed to get out of the house. I decided we would go drive through somewhere. Lila decided she hates me because I turned off the computer and put her in the car. She hasn't had an all out screaming-so-much-in-the-car-meltdown-mommy-wants-to-run-into-oncoming-traffic kind of episode in a really long time.  I had actually forgotten how miserable those can be. I'm not proud, but I had had enough. So I screamed back. I'm not a screaming parent. But she was getting Evie riled up too and I just couldn't do it. After I screamed Lila went silent. After we drove through to get food and I gave her lemonade it was like the whole thing never happened. Don't you just love that about toddlers?

Needless to say, last night ended the day with a bang. Evie went to sleep just long enough for me to read and sing to Lila only to wake up and take over an hour for me to get her back to sleep. So both children were asleep somewhere around 10:30.

I'm not telling you all of this so you feel sorry for me. I'm not telling you all of this to be your birth control if you don't have kids. I'm telling you all of this to now tell you something else....

I was in the car taking Lila to school this morning and Evie fell asleep as she usually does. So I drove around to hopefully get a good nap in for her. While doing so I started listening to Dave FM and they are at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta doing a fundraiser. It seems that CHOA is in desperate need of funds. Anyway, they are calling it the Big Show for Little Voices I believe. They have families talking about how much CHOA means to them and why. I am listening to the stories of children who spent the first two years of their lives in the hospital. I am listening to moms who have bad days every day because they spend their lives watching their child suffer.  And of course, I'm crying. I'm crying because I have two amazingly healthy and happy kids. I am crying because my bad day overwhelmed me to no end when it's one bad day among hundreds of good ones. I'm crying because I need to cut myself some slack. A two year olds everyday tantrum (or ten) is probably something one of those moms at CHOA would welcome with a big smile.

I know I'm allowed to be upset by our bad day. But God just wanted to make sure I knew how lucky I am to have that kind of a bad day.  So God, if you're listening, I heard you loud and clear.