Some Video

I had to post this, watch Emma how she walks on the beach with her shoes on....she's so funny.

And then her playing Table Tennis with her daddy, was the first time she experienced it and I was surprised how she'd attempt to serve.  She enjoyed this and Cornhole.

Our Summer Vacation

 

We went on our summer beach holiday this past weekend.  Rod and I both recall our holidays to the coast  when we were younger and how much fun they always were, so we want to create those same memories for our girls growing up.

Rod's work schedule has been super crazy, we've only had him home for the weekends since May.  Every week he has had flight delays, so it's late nights returning home, early morning wake ups when Emma comes to our room, and then it's non stop, as all Emma wants to do is play with her daddy the entire weekend and things like mowing the lawn needs to be taken care of.  Then to leave on Monday again at the crack of dawn....no rest!! As for me it's also on the go 24/7, if it's not the girls, its the house....so as you can imagine we were really looking forward to this long weekend away, time to do nothing but sit by the pool or at the beach and just enjoy our family time.  Funny how easy things seem when you run everything through your mind.  But between naps, meals and bedtime for the girls it still feels as busy as if we were at home, at least I didn't have to cook though!

Myrtle Beach is about 3 hours away, we left on Emma's birthday.  We intended leaving around 5:30/6pm after Rod's work was done and having an early dinner.  But things got pushed out, after skype calls from the family to wish Emma Happy Birthday, eating dinner, bathing kids, blowing candles for Emma's bday and packing all the last minute things, we finally left at 7:30/8, after turning around and having to go back home for something we forgot - will that ever not happen?

Addi slept all the way to Myrtle, but Emma was way too excited, she stayed awake until about 20 minutes before arriving.  When we got to the hotel the kids got their second wind and were wide awake, both jumping around and laughing.  Tough to settle them down and get them to sleep, poor Addi was probably confused as to what the time was....finally around 12 or 1 Addi settled down and slept, but Emma did not sleep until 2am!  Always so exciting to be on holiday - I think she takes after me that way, I get way too excited when I go on vacation.

So in Rod's mind what he had envisioned for this trip was to sleep in late, swim with Emma the entire day and just hang out with her.  He got to do the swimming and hanging out part.  We were hoping on a miracle that the kids would fall into vacation mode and their clocks would set to wake around 8am (in my mind I'm thinking please let those darkening curtains work!) but of course that would be too good to be true.....our wake ups were at 7am, which wasn't too bad, gave us an early start and the chance to enjoy more of the day!  In my mind I envisioned sitting by the pool watching Emma and Rod, catching up on my tan and maybe a magazine, holding Addison who would sit ever so still next to me watching her sister and daddy swim.  Instead I got more of a room tan than a sun tan Addi needs her crib when it comes to sleep, although on the last day I managed to nap her in the Ergo carrier while walking along the beach - to have the life of Addison - nothing better than falling asleep to the sounds of the ocean and be carried.  All reading material was forgotten at home.  And as for Addison sitting still, hmm I forget we're not talking about Emma here, we're lucky if our little monkey can sit still for 5 seconds....she was using MY babyrolls as leverage to climb to who knows where - my head, the table behind me, the chair back..... pulling at my bathing suit and getting so excited watching her sister swim.  The pool water was pretty cold more so for me than Addi, so we just hung outside of the pool for the most part.   

Emma loved the pool, thats where she wanted to be all the time!  When we asked her if she wanted to go to the beach, she'd say no.  Because Rod and I wanted to walk on the beach she was forced to, silly girl went from, " I love Myrtle Beach!" to "I don't like Myrtle Beach!" in less than a second!  And the facial expression as her feet touched the sand - with shoes on mind you - was as if we were dragging her through sludge. Thankfully she can tolerate the solid sand where it's wet.

washing off the sand that never got on her feet

We're hoping that with more trips to the beach, she'll overcome this 'fear', one day!  Although I'm thinking that Emma is our citygirl!  Addison will probably be the one game for the beach and getting her hands and feet dirty, maybe convincing her big sister that it's not that bad!

 

 

The weather wasn't the best, we had a grey/overcast day, a rainy day and then the sunniest day was the day we left, isn't that always the case?
Our days would consist of early morning walks and breakfast on the beach, Emma swimming with dad while I napped Addi in the room, finding a nice spot for lunch, afternoon naps, more swimming, dinner, more swimming then sleep.  With the girls we were forced for an earlier bed time which was a good thing and Rod and I managed to fit in a nap which we wouldn't usually get, so overall is was pretty restful although really busy with the girls on the go during their wake time and Addison isn't even walking yet!   We had one day of rain, which was a bummer as we really could not do anything - everything is outdoors in Myrtle, I think we ended up eating most of the day trying the local food....

Overall a wonderful family getaway.  We had such a fun time, Emma didn't want to go home, kept saying, "I don't want to go home, I want to stay at the hotel".  We eventually had to tell her we had no more money and the lady at the hotel told us we had to leave. :)  Everything with Emma these days is, "But I want to Mom!", or "I have to Mom!"

Holidays are never long enough!  But it's always good to come home to your bed and to eat more healthy.   After all the fried foods on offer, our bodies were craving vegetables when we got home.
Can't believe our Summer is almost over, can already feel it's not as hot, and the sun is rising a little later and setting a bit earlier.  Summer sure whizzed by!

Smiley Addi

Emma and Daddy feeding the ducks and fish

 

My two girls!

 

I love this little munchkin!

 

YES! to breakfast on the beach!

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Birthday Emma

This weekend we celebrated Emma's 3rd Birthday!  Such a fun morning!  We hosted her party at a venue called DefyGravity, this place consists of trampolines in a huge room where you can go crazy and jump all over the show.  They also have a dodgeball enclosure and a huge foam pit to jump into.  When we first looked at this venue I thought it lacked the child appeal and didn't think Emma would like it, but after looking at the party room I came out to see Emma jumping on the trampoline and she was so happy.  Rod immediately said, we're having the party here.   Emma had been looking forward to this party for so long, it couldn't come soon enough for her. 

From the time I asked her what type of cake she wanted (back in June) and what she wanted to do on her birthday we had been invited to 4 birthdays, each time she would see a gift wrapped up, she'd ask if it were for her, I felt so bad each time saying no, it's not for you, it's for so and so for their birthday.  She kept asking when it would be her birthday. Firstly I told her about the months, that her birthday was in August, and when August came she would say, "now it's my birthday?" I eventually made her a countdown, tearing off the number of days left till her party.  So soon as she woke up on Saturday morning I asked her what day it was, she said Saturday, hooray it's my party! And asked if her friends were going to come ot her party.  Such a huge smile and so happy!  Getting dressed and brushing teeth was such a breeze, wish it could be her birthday everyday!

When we got to Defy Gravity, Emma wanted to head straight for the trampolines, so very excited!  First we had to go to our party room, and set up, everything was...the cake for me?  the balloons for me?  the party for me?  Poor child sounds so deprived, like we never spoil her, but the great thing is that she seems so grateful for everything, something I wouldn't expect from someone so small.  Eventually all the guests arrived and we could go jump.  I wasn't sure if all the kids would jump for an entire hour, I had set aside crafts for the kids incase they got bored from jumping, but every kid jumped the entire hour and everyone had so much fun!  Emma did not stop, she wasn't her shy, timid self, which was great, she was even game to jump into the foam pit with Rod, which I would have thought would have been daunting for her.  But she did it over and over!
 

in the foam pit

When our hour was up of jumping, Emma snuck in every jump she could before clearing the floor.  It was so worth having her party there.  So wonderful to see all the kids sit down after jumping, and devour their pizza's and gulp down their juices....such tired little bodies.  One thing guaranteed is that they'd all have good naps that day!

We wish the party could have lasted longer.  After packing up our things and leaving, Emma looked at the room and said, "My party is all over now?"  She wasn't sad, but I was when she said this. 
She then carried on to say, "Thank You mommy for my party!"  Then I knew she had a great time!  Just like I know she enjoys my cooking, when she starts eating and two bites in, she'll say, "Thank you mommy for making a nice dinner!" So, Party - successful.

Such fun planning for her party...back in June I had asked Emma what type of birthday cake she wanted for her birthday.  She immediately said a castle cake, so I googled Princess Birthday Cakes and so many ideas popped up!
After looking at tons of images, watching youtube videos of how to make a castle cake, how to lay fondant etc etc, debating doing regular icing or fondant, baking test cakes and eating them....I felt pretty confident that I could pull this off for Emma.....until two weeks before, Emma told me she did not want a castle cake, but infact a Dinosaur Cake...are you kidding me?  I thought in my head, too bad girl, you're getting this castle cake whether you like it for not.

After last years cake, I learnt a few things, so had to give it another go this year, initally I just wanted to buy a cake but the more I looked online that more I was convinced that I could do it myself.
Until Friday night, first mistake was that I made the bottom tier of the cake a bit higher than I anticipated and ended up not knowing how much fondant to use to cover this....then at 11pm when I laid the fondant on the final cake it began to tear!! AHHH!!!!!
Had no idea what my back up plan was if this cake did not turn out!  So a bit of a panic attack and with Rods help and him calming me down, we managed to cover the cake with just 2 subtle cracks, which in the end I didn't even bother trying to cover up, made it look more homemade.  I was happy with the final result, and Emma's reaction to the cake was priceless and so worth all the effort.  Although  I did think to myself, that maybe next year we'll just do a regular square cake with icing, or if I've set an expectation for Emma, her and Addison will have to have a joint party every year, so I just have to do this this once a year. :)
The thing with these cakes, you start getting more and more ideas, so you tend to get a bit carried away....

So much fun though on all fronts!

Emma you turn 3 today (or in your world, 2 years months - we need to work on that), we cannot believe you're growing into this "big" girl!  We love you so much!!  Your laughs, smiles, enquiring mind and imagination brings us so much happiness, a different type of happiness that makes our heart sing everyday!!  We are so lucky to have you in our lives.  We hope you have the best day ever!!   Happy 3rd Birthday!  Love Mommy, Daddy and Addison  xoxo

This video is of Emma spelling Happy Birthday Emma!

More photos from Emma's Birthday Party

Peek-a-boo Addi

Days have been busy, and even though I stay up past midnight I haven't been in the mood to blog.  So weird that I have to feel in a particular mood to post something.  I dropped my laptop and now cannot access my photos, nor did I do a recent backup, so you can just imagine how I feel about that!!

Hopefully i'll be able to retrieve them somehow!!

This video was on my camera, and thought I'd share it.

Little Addison playing Peekaboo!  she's beginning to understand so much more lately.
Can't believe she's 9 months now!  She's pulling herself up now to standing, slowly gaining more confidence to climb the stairs, although stops 2 steps up and wants to sit and push back!

I've been busy preparing for Emmas birthday, which I'm really excited about.  Emma too.  Ok, maybe more me than her, haha!  Our dining room is out of bounds until Saturday and everyday Emma either pretends to make her way there, or asks if she can go in there and just gives me this smile, because she knows she's not allowed to go in.
Can't believe she's 3 next week. 

Will post more soon.

Feeding Addison

From not blogging for a while, to 3 in one week! 

I put this very amateur video together of Addison's transition of feeding for the family to see.

I decided with Addison I'd start her later on solids, later being 6 months compared to 4 months with Emma.  My reason, just that Emma suffered with eczema, and I never knew if the food was the cause, and if so, no particular food was ever really evident.  Also I just wanted to enjoy my little baby for a little longer, and to fit in feeding solids along with our existing everyday routine, just seemed like something extra to have to do, so I wasn't in any rush.....  Until I started the solids and saw that Addi wasn't enjoying the food, gagging everytime I tried to give her puree's. 

She took longer to take to eating than Emma, so I began to worry if I left it too late.  Also worried about what to feed her because she seemed so picky (only wanting vegetables and no fruit, and then things like bread, which I was then worried about the wheat allergy), even tho I knew that the solids weren't her main source of nutrition and learning to eat takes time.

Feels like it took so long to where we are now, but Addi is now getting used to feeding herself when I give her fingerfoods and eats well from the spoon now too.  She loves her food, moaning for first bite and for more.  There was a stage where she would only eat from my fingers and refused the spoon.  Now at least she uses her own fingers and I can feed her with a spoon.

So just snippets of video, of Addison eating - her facial expressions sometimes, says it all!

Addi is starting to talk..

Addi saying Ba Ba Ba and splashing in the tub!  The day before she just started making fish sounds, did not expect the Ba Ba Ba to follow so soon after.....she also knows how to give mom heart failure when she tries to pull herself up in the bath!

And just when I thought....

And just when I thought I wouldn't get to see Emma draw her first man, she went and drew not only her first man, but first whale!

As you can see the whale has an eye, and the blowhole on top of it's head.

Then the little man is pretty squished, but has two eyes, a nose, a mouth, hair, arms and legs....

Way too cute!  So proud of my girl...I was wondering when this would all begin....

From probably 2 weeks ago...this was Emma's first rainbow....

June Update

I took these photos last night at bath time - Addison is such a munchkin!  I just can't get enough of this little one!

So this is our June Update, and we're in July already, almost half way through!  It's just been real busy lately, the days are just flying.  The past two months have been extra busy and crazy, as I've been going for Dr appointments 2-3 times a week, kids in tow (such stars to sit thru it all), and Rod has been travelling.  Definitely have had my hands full, but we have a good routine going and we're managing pretty well, I'm pooped by the end of the day though. 
Addison is growing way too fast for me.....crawling, now pulling herself up on her knees and just getting into EVERYTHING!  We hardly had to babyproof our house with Emma, then along came Addison!  Such a different child to Emma, but just as adorable....obviously! 

So many comparisons...

Emma was pretty laid back and quiet, Addi, just wants to go, go, go and screams for things, attention, more food, when she's tired... I'm hoping the screaming is just a phase, a phase of discovering her voice, although my friend Amy, her second, a boy, does the same thing.  Maybe a second child thing??  Not getting as much attention, so screaming for it?? 
Addison can also bring on her tears real quick, so so naughty!  Take something away from her that she really likes and you get a good combo of her scream and cry!

Miss Addison, is fearless, I'll have just fed her milk, and once she's done, she'll just pop off and start crawling off my lap.....Emma we could leave her on the bed, or in a room and she'd stay put.  Leave Addi, and she's crawling off the bed, or already down the hall going into the room 2 doors down.
The safety gate that we got for Emma when she turned 2 years old to keep her in the room when she moved to her big girl bed, has to go up now.  Actually will go up just as soon as I find the hardware.  No idea where I put it.  
Addi is showing interest of climbing up the stairs now too - guess big sister influence - not sure what we're going to do to block the bottom of the stairs off (awkard angels).  We constantly have to keep our eye on this little one.

Emma has always been interested in books and will sit and listen for the most part - Addi could care less, crawls off and finds something else to do, getting caught under the bed, pulling cords, finding other things that she shouldn't find, otherwise just mouthing the books.  Emma's baby books have been in good condition, almost all look new, no teeth marks or dog earred, nothing went in her mouth, we could even leave tags on toys and she wouldn't mouth them...along comes Addison and we have had to remove all tags from toys, and some books are starting to look sad.....boy oh boy!

As you can tell, days are busy busy busy!  The best time of day for me, is when I'm able to coincide both girls naps at the same time, or I get them both in bed by 7:30pm!  I finally get some free time to sit and do nothing, but that time really passes quickly.

In less than two months time, Emma will be starting preschool, twice a week.  I'm so excited for her to start, but at the same time a bit sad, my little, big girl!  I've been fortunate to see every first of Emma, so now to think that she'll draw her first man, or write her first letter and I probably won't get to see that, except for when she brings it home from school.  I guess I could consider home schooling?? haha   Coincidentally, one of our neighbors son (Nicholas) will be attending the same preschool as Emma, and they're going to be in the same class, so that provided some relief that Emma will know at least one child - they get on really well.  Then I met another mom through a friend, and her son, Cael, will also  be in the same class as Emma. So we're trying to meet up as often as we can, also to play at the school's playground, so they can get used to each other and their surroundings.  Quite comforting that Emma will know two of the kids in her class, which should hopefully help with the transition.

Miss Emma - she's grown taller, her hair has grown longer, she's speaking so much these days, just over night she can have a full conversation with you, questioning things, trying to understand why and how.  We still have to ask her to repeat things to understand her, but once we finally get it, we're like, wow Emma, how did you come up with that?
I'm also always amazed how she'll bring something up from a while back and talk about it, remembering things from a year ago!
She's a great big siser, always running to Addi's aid when Addi cries.  She's been such a great help with Rod away, listening and helping me whenever she can.   Rod even questioned if we're making her grow up too fast - because of the "responsibilities" we give her.  I told him that it's probably all part of the role of the big sister.

Her imaginative play has increased dramatically.  Lately she's been throwing surprise birthday parties for me, baking me a cake, bringing it to me and saying, "surprise", then lighting the candles and singing, "Happy Birthday to Mommy".  She then goes on to tell me there are balloons, can I see them, and hands me a gift to open.  She'll also have little tea parties, serving mommy, daddy and Addi.  I tell her to serve her dolls and bears, but she doesn't quite like that idea.
The other imaginative play that she likes, is picking flowers....any picture with flowers, she'll grab at it and pretend to hold a bunch of flowers, come running to me saying, "I picked these for you!", "Flowers for you mom".  Too sweet.  Em loves her nursery rhymes now, singing every day, it's so funny how all these things just start happening when you least expect it, you bring out the camera to try recapture that moment to share with the family, but you can never get it back. 

I love every day with my girls.  They make me laugh and make me so proud to be their mommy!  Even after spending a full day with them, I still can't get enough.

Everyday I wish we were closer to family, just so they can see the two girls for themselves, see their personalities, watch them grow.  I know there is probably so much I forget to mention here in the blog.  As I've told Rod, there is so much that happens in a day that I even forget to share with him, Thankgoodness tho for this blog, family can stay up to date as best I can type, aswell as Skype, Facebook and Whatsapp. Poor girls, my phone is forever in their face!  
 You definitely know you use modern technology too much with your kids, when your daughter says, "I can't see them mom!", when you make a regular phone call and ask them to talk to the person on the other side.

Time to post this update now, it's taken me a week already to finally finish it off, sorry for the ubrupt ending, but if I don't get it up now, it might be August and Emma would have turned 3.
There are a few videos and more pics to share, will eventually upload them along the way.

We can wave and crawl!

Addison has been practising her crawling skills these past few weeks, mainly moving backward, but really trying to reach forward for things, (type of yoga pose, on all 4's and one arm outstretched) always falling on her tummy, then rolling around to get to the object she wanted.  From rolling she would sit up, then move side to side from one butt cheek to the next to move around.  And then this weekend she took one, then 2 "steps" or crawls forward.
Can't believe she's reached this milestone already.

Quite interesting that she's reaching all her milestones one month earlier than what Emma did.

Addison has also learnt to wave, which is too cute.  She has the same move for dancing, her arm just moves to the music.

This morning I managed to capture Addi waving and taking her first 3 crawls.

You can hear Emma in the background.  You  might ask what she's saying, I don't really know.  Her speech will eventually be clearer :)

Photos of Addi

Just some photos I snapped today of Addison.  I can't get enough of her gummy, drooly smiles, they just light up the room!