My budding artist...

My funny little gal LOVES to paint. 

I LOVE that she is so uninhibited in her creativity.

Daddy Doug's Birthday!

Here is the "oh-so-professional" artwork that my lovely hubby woke up to on his Birthday. Toria had so much fun making it, Rome... not so excited. My guy is another year older, it's true that something just get better with age. You are the best husband/father/best friend a gal could hope for!

Squeezable!

My little Chubarooski! He is pretty dang adorable, if I do say so myself. He is my content, lovable, smiley, sitting up, handsome little guy! I so could not resist this hat for him. Some days I want to just bite into his bulbous cheeks, nibble his rotund feet, and squeeze, squeeze, squeeze him!

Let the sleeping begin!

"Anyone who says they slept like a baby never had one"
I saw this quote and offered a big AMEN.

After three nights of gut wrenching(more so for me than anyone else) long nights. My little guy is sleeping through the night!
The first night was a cry fest, the second was slightly less taxing and the third night was hardly difficult. Day four has come and gone and he is an official all-nighter!

I never thought I could do it. I forgot how much your heart breaks as their little cries for help pull at the mom instinct and make you want to leap up and soothe them and make sure that they know you love them and would never abandon them! I laid outside my little man's room as he learned how to do it on his own. It took everything I had to not save him!

Relief... he still loves me and smiles at me and doesn't hate me.

Back again!

So, I have been hesitant to post, to report the lack of success in our potty training efforts. We will just leave it at that. We have had fun-filled busy times! Between a trip to St. Louis for my father-in-law's 60th birthday, Halloween, trips to the children's museum, dance class, etc., etc., etc...it's been well, busy! I will have pictures up soon!

Binkys, Big-Girl Beds, and Pottys

So, the last few months have been BIG ones for our lovely, little gal. First... we took away the oh so coveted, and adored binkys! It went quite smoothly, I must say. Much easier than I had imagined it would. I swore I would never let a child of mine have them that long, but I did. I drew the line at birthday #2. She only asked for them twice, but since she had thrown them in the rubbish bin with her hesitant hand, she knew they were gone. Second... no more crib for our tot. On to the real deal! A big-girl bed! Ok, so really it's a toddler bed, well... really it's her crib, with one side converted to a toddler bed. So, maybe not such a HUGE transition, but for the "not-so-great-sleeping-kid" it was a big step. She pulled that one off with flying colors. She loves her bad and often just sits on it to play saying, " Mommy, I just sit on my bed, I don't go night-night." On to accomplishment number 3! Well, tomorrow marks the first stop on our potty training expedition. I know that millions of millions have tackled this one, so I go in to our journey with the support of mom's everywhere. I will keep you updated...

Just a note, as I was playing with her today. I wondered-where did this little baby go?

And when did she grow up in to this little girl that I can't get enough of?

Hot Summer Days. Love Them!

          Is it just me, or do the summer days fly by? I guess it's because we are so busy outside, going to zoo's, swimming pools, bbq's and any other activity that lets us enjoy this wonderful, yes I know it's hot, time of year! I am all about flip-flops and lemonade, parks and sunscreen, shorts and vacations. I try to not complain about the hot leather seats in my car, or the sweaty stickiness of an afternoon outside, because I really love thew warm weather. So much can be done, not like those nasty, cold, snowy, miserable, slippery, winter months! Cooped up inside, when only so much can be done to entertain busy bodies.  I am trying to soak up every minute of sunshine, popsicles, and wading pools that  I can!