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Monday, April 12, 2010

A Million and One things…

Are floating around inside my head right now.

Especially since my head is finally coming out of the fog.

I had a cold ALL of last week that really knocked me out.

I actually consumed an entire bottle of Dayquil to try and survive.

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There were questionable outfits worn (when we weren’t in pajamas) and cartoons on. All.Day.Long.All.Week.Long.

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Our child is now a tv-a-holic.

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We need an intervention.

Last night I laid in bed, unable to sleep, drafting a fabulous blog in my head.

I do that more often than I care to admit.

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As always, the second my eyes close, so does my draft.

Unsaved.

Forgotten for the rest of time.

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I want to record as much as I can.

I’ve been really sentimental lately…

…The passing time is catching me off guard.

Honestly, I turned around yesterday and Chloe was no longer a baby… She’s a full-blown little girl now.

How do I know?

She finally has enough hair to do this:

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I know.

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Ridiculous.

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She is also sporting painted toes these days.

She didn’t care much for the process of painting them once the first foot was done.

This morning, her other bottom tooth poked through. IMG_8108

We’re up to 6 on the bottom and 6 on the top!

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And Lauren…She’s just Lauren.

Awesome.

She can be out running errands… quiet and happy no matter how long we’re out. She doesn’t want to miss a party… even if it means missing a nap.

She can also nap on the go… unlike her sister who was more particular about having her specific crib. :)

Lauren has slept unswaddled for a week now.

Not perfectly at all… she is having much a much harder go at getting herself to sleep now.

But she was getting out of her swaddle and waking herself up anyway.

I am trying to come up with a plan to get her to sleep through the night.

I can tell she’s not really hungry at 4:00 because she’ll lay in bed and babble… but within a couple minutes of starting a bottle, she’s out and drinks while she’s asleep.

With Chloe, it was so easy. We just cut out the 4am feed and let Chloe cry for about 15 minutes the first couple days.

NO big deal.

With Lauren, however, I can’t find my will.

Which brings me to my next point.

I am an absolute SOFTIE when it comes to Lauren.

Why!!!!

I think it’s because she’s our last.

I go in and give her a paci instead of letting her cry…

I can handle a few more sleepless nights, walking to her room like a zombie, tripping on all of Chloe’s toys on the way to give Lauren her 4:30am bottle…

I love when she finishes her bottle, she promptly falls asleep on my shoulder snoozing every so quietly. 

I definitely don’t waste our precious alone time.

And, just like Chloe, I turned around and saw her no longer an infant…

She can almost sit on her own now…

I had to move the exersaucer rings up because her feet were dragging on the floor.

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How did this happen?

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I’m having trouble coming to terms with the fact that she’s our last.

And it’s not because I want a boy.

I actually think I wouldn’t know what to do with a boy.

I mean, really, I love our family as it is right now.

Adding one more whether now or in 5 years just doesn’t fit like our little family of 4.

There are so many reasons to stick with the number we have now.

We’d have to put up our 3rd row of seats…and now, having all that room for strollers and other stuff is wonderful.

We’d have to go through diapers all over again and late nights and complete exhaustion in the beginning…

So, why am I so scared of the finality of being done??

As hard on a body as pregnancy is,

I can honestly say I miss being pregnant.

And I’m afraid I will always miss it.

Please tell me I’m not alone in this and it will get easier?

I miss the excitement and anticipation that being pregnant brings…

Oddly enough, I miss the exhausted happiness that delivering babies brings me.

Tell me that I’ll grow out of this.

That my babies will stay little just like they are for a while longer.

I think the gloomy, rainy weather is making me a sap-fest.

Perhaps it’s the cold that I can’t quite make go away completely.

Ok. Enough for today.

Naptime is almost over.

Monday, April 5, 2010

Happy Easter!

Don’t be jealous…

But this is where I spent my weekend.

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Yes. That is the ocean.

Heaven.

We had a lovely visit down south with my sister and Ashley

… and of course the Gigi and Papa.

…All I did all weekend was Relax in the hot sun while watching the entertainment and workin’ on my tan.

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Chloe had a lot of fun.

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Ashley not so much.

IMG_7953IMG_7950 Nevertheless, there were a few smiles to be had!

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Not to mention lots of candy to eat!

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Dad and I even took this sweet little thing for a gorgeous ocean-view walk.

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Peek A Boo!

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We see you!

(Is it weird to see your house from this view?)

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There was even a big earthquake while we were there!!

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I say big because I haven’t been in one in YEARS.

I’d like it to stay that way.

   Gigi. You were too busy trying to help me keep my children contained and this is the best picture I have of you.

Yes.

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This is it.

I am sorry!

Papa, however, had plenty of time to take a load off and nap in the sun.

Chloe joined him after her 6th hour playing in the outdoor sink.

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I’m sorry but that is so stinkin’ cute.

Ashley really took a liking to Lauren while we were down.

Thanks for babysitting, Ashley!!

P.S. Chloe keeps saying “Ash” over and over.

And Over.

AND OVER.

Obviously she is smitten with you.

And finally…

Don’t be shocked…

But I got in FRONT of the lens a little bit myself!IMG_7763_1 IMG_7764_1   IMG_7767_2

Gigi, thank you for taking those pictures.

Perhaps having some makeup on or my hair done would have been a nice addition.

Nevertheless, they just about double the number of pictures I am in since 2007.

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Wait! Gigi’s in another picture! See your hand??

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Thanks for having us down, Tracee.

I have missed you.

   We’ll have to hang out in the pool next time!