Maddie's new word!

So, we all know when children learn new words they sound kinda like the real word and sometimes they are completely different, and then SOMETIMES they sound like a really BAD word...well, the other day I was looking for something in the cupboard and I nonchalantly said, "Oh, darn it, I can't find it." and Maddie says to me, "Oh, DOM it." in an "oh well" kind of tone with her head cocked to the side and eyes looking to the corner. I really tried hard not to let out a chuckle but it's too close to the actual word and I couldn't help it. Then, she thought it was sooo funny and said, "dom it, dom it, dom it, HA HA!" and just started cracking up! Glen's little brother was over and he let out a little chuckle. I told Maddie "It's DARN it, not DOM it, and...I don't want you saying either one.... and mommy won't either, we'll just say Oh no, or Oh man!"

It's almost as bad as the story my mother-in-law told me about Glen's little sister Heather, who as a little girl couldn't pronounce her Rs, and she kept asking for a FORK at a church activity!!!

Oh man...kids say the silliest things!

Cute little story

This morning Maddie and I were watching Elmo and the topic of the day was about penguins. Maddie loves penguins, she calls them "Penos". Anyway, there was a little boy whose dad worked at the zoo taking care of the penguins and he was telling us all the things they do to take care of them, including feeding them fish. Maddie got up and ran to the pantry. She ran back over to me and said, "Look mom, I eat hish too, all the time!" In her hand was the big box of goldfish crackers! She popped some goldfish in her mouth, laughed and said, "I a peno too!" I laughed and of course being the big baby that I am teared up a bit, I just thought that was so darn cute of her!

A pit stop at the Pumpkin Patch

Before heading out to the Apple Orchards we made a pit stop at the Pumpkin Patch off the 10 freeway. Grandma Cheryl and Papa John helped her pick out a "witty, tiny baby punkin". She plays with it at home like it's a baby, it's really funny!

Oak Glen Apple Orchards

Last weekend we met up with family at the Oak Glen Apple Orchards in Yucaipa. It was kind of a chaotic day with all the crowds and wind, but Maddie had a good time! I spent most of the day nursing Riley and trying to get her to sleep! I wasn't able to see her ride the pony but Glen got these great pictures...of course I cried when I saw how happy she was! Glen said her grin was from ear to ear the whole time!

Riley is 2 months!

Riley... what a sweet little baby she is! I just LOVE her so much! I can't believe she's already two months old! She still looks like a little bald old man with those cute little ears that stick out, but she's filling out and chunkin' up and looks more like a baby girl everyday. The little old man is starting to fade out! Right now she LOVES to sit and observe in her bouncer seat. She'll sit and smile in there for 20, sometimes 30 minutes! She's very easy going unless of course she's hungry or tired, than she let's everyone within a 30 mile radious know she's upset...that's how loud she is! I try to take care of her needs before she tunes up so we don't have to get to that point, which is better for everyone!

Making Rolls

The weather is changing and I got the itch to make homemade chicken soup with fresh, yummy rolls! Normally I like to do this kind of thing while both girls are napping but on this particular day Maddie had already napped and was eager to help. Being the control freak that I am at times, especially when it comes to baking, I hesitated. I just like to get it done without having a huge mess, but then I thought, "what the heck... they're just rolls, and it's just flour... Why not!" So, we went to town! Maddie helped sprinkle the flour on the board and dough, rolled out some of her "own" dough, and helped place the rolls on the cookie sheets. She did a GREAT job and had soooo much fun and... so did I! It was the cutest thing, and I felt like such a schmuck for even thinking of not letting her help! Life is just too short, soon helping mommy will be the furthest thing from her mind. I might as well take advantage of it now!

Riley in her WOOMbie

So Riley has to be swaddled or she'll wake herself up with any sudden movement. I would try to get the blanket swaddled super tight but sometimes she'd still get out of it. I went online for tips on swaddling and to see if there were any swaddle blankets out there that I didn't already know about. Well....there were, I came across the WOOMbie. It's voted "Top Choice" so I went to the site to check it out. I saw it and thought, "Why didn't I think of that?...Duh!" It's so nice because they don't get too hot, they can still stretch if they want but at the same time still feel secure and snug as if still in the Womb, hence, the name WOOMbie! It's great, I don't leave home without it. For all my friends who are expecting...take note, this will probably be my gift to you!

Maddie calls it "the Woom-BEAN" which actually kinda makes sense, she looks like a little bean!

Glen and Maddie's birdhouse

The week before Riley was born, Jessica (my sister) and I went to Michael's to check out the dollar kids projects that our cousin told us about. We thought it'd keep them busy while at the hospital as well as being fun projects to do with dad while mom recovers and takes care of the baby. Anyway, Maddie had been begging to build her birdhouse for a few days so I told her that daddy would build it with her on the weekend. It was priceless to see the two of them working so hard together... Both so happy to be spending time with one another!

My, where has the time gone!

So our little Riley is NOT so little anymore! She's 12 lbs at almost 8 weeks! I don't think any of our babies will EVER be petite. That's ok though, she's healthy and so very kissable! She's a very smiley little bug, we call her "Smiley Riley", cheesy I know, but it's the truth! Maddie was more of a serious baby, she'd smile at the people closest to her and everyone else she'd just stare at, like, "What are YOU looking at weirdo!" It's so amazing how completely different they are. I think that's what makes it so easy to love each of your children... they each bring so many different personality traits into the family, something different to love! It's so fun. I can't wait to see how Riley is at 2! At first I was wanting her to just be two already...the infant stage is so demanding and hard, but now that she's starting to adapt to the world she's becoming very content and happy and we're all enjoying her even more. I'm taking one day at a time and just enjoying the little coos and gurgles along with the big toothless grins! I tear up when she smiles at me because it's a sign of her love for me, which makes the middle of the night feedings not seem so bad! I must say, she's a much better sleeper than our little Maddie was at this age. Riley has at least one 4 to 5 hour stretch, sometimes even 6 at night which makes taking care of both my girls during the day a heck of a lot easier!

Maddie has adapted very well! At first she wanted to hold her all the time. Now, however, she is completely over her and just does her own thing. Occasionally she'll talk to her, kiss her, hug her and say, "Roun and Roun the garden like a teddy bear, one dep, two dep and Tickle under day (there)!" and laugh with her and say "I be funny mommy, Wiey wike it!" it's really cute! I know they'll have lots of fun together once Riley is more mobile. I also have a feeling that Riley will just idolize her big sis just by the way she stares at her now! But what a great little girl to idolize! Maddie is so full of life and light! I love everything about her, as it should be, I'm her mother, but I think anyone else who is around her and knows her well loves everything about her too! There's just so much to love. She has been asking a lot of questions lately, mainly, "What dat called mommy?" or "What him name?" or "What her name?" to passers by when we're out and about. She always wants to know exactly what I'm doing and always says, "I wanna hee (see)!" I've been trying to work on numbers and letters with her, she knows A and can recognize if there is 1, 2, or 3 of something... mostly her potty treats! She's very smart and NEVER forgets ANYTHING!! I kid you not, if she gets a gift from someone she always knows who it's from and tells me who it's from every time she plays with it or puts on an outfit from someone. She even tells me if it's something we got her. My sister got her a little toy at the store last week and forgot to give it to her so yesterday when we went to her house she asked her aunt Jessica where her new toy was, it was so funny! She LOVES to look at pictures and videos of herself on the computer... it's become something we do DAILY!
Our latest hurtle to get over with Maddie has been getting her out of our bed! Yes... she had started this new faze of needing to "wheep our bed", as she would say, a few months into my pregnancy. I didn't mind so much when I wasn't huge like a whale, but then it became rather uncomfortable, to say the least. Glen would often go into her room and sleep in the bed that was supposed to be her "big girl bed" just because there just wasn't enough room for us all to spread out! I did kind of enjoy having her there but after Riley was born we decided it was time to get her out. We tried having her sleep in her crib for a few nights. Glen told her that she needed to START the night sleeping in her crib and then when she woke up we'd come get her. Well... the "We'd" come get her turned into ME having to get her and it was difficult getting up to get her, than waking up an hour later to feed Riley so... I came up with the idea of putting her big girl mattress in our room on the floor so she could be NEAR us but not ON TOP of us! She thought it was soo fun the first night than she started to fuss about it before bed. I told her, in a nice way of course,"too dang bad kid...this is as good as it's gonna get, I need my sleep!" She would wake in the middle of the night and get into to bed with us for the first couple nights, than one night she slept all night so I gave her a treat in the morning. Now, she'll usually just say, "mommy?" in her sleep just to make sure I'm there and stays in her bed all night! I must say my sleep has been much more blissful since the change. I've noticed she's not as moody as well, now that she's not getting pushed off of me or Glen all night long, she's actually getting better sleep too!

Glen has been working so hard to provide a good life for our family. He/We have been so blessed to have the job that he has. We've been very fortunate during this hard time with the economy. It all comes down to saving and spending your money correctly and living within or even below your means. Glen has taught me how to be more frugal and to really only buy the necessities, with the occasional splurges on the wants. He's a great father and husband I feel so blessed to have him in my life and for him to be the father of our children. Lucky for us that the economy is the way it is, we will probably get a SWEET deal on a really nice house in the next year or so...something to look forward to!

I'm just a happy mama! Happiest when both my children are peacefully sleeping and I have time to myself, but happy just the same when I'm playing with them and spending what little time I can with Glen! Glen took me out to dinner for my birthday to a really nice restaurant and we had the nicest time just talking and looking at each other, he's so easy to stare at, I just love him! We rarely have time together right now, just because I usually go to bed around the same time as the girls, but I know that soon Riley will be more consistent on her length of sleep so we'll get that time back. Last weekend we had a nice treat when Maddie hadn't napped all day and then her and Riley fell asleep at 7:30. We stayed up for two hours watching a comedy special and had the best time. It's the little things! Time goes by so quickly, you just have to sit back and enjoy all the little moments because you never get them back!

So... that's the latest for now!