Saturday, March 30, 2013

Ella's Easter Basket

I finally got around to making Ella's Easter basket - just in time too since Easter is tomorrow (not like she would know the difference anyway, but still) I already made Brayden's, Daddy's and Max's baskets last year and got the idea from Pinterest.  I cannot find the pin to link back to the original source to save my life, but I will keep looking and then be sure to post it :)

This basket is so easy to make.  I got the baskets from Hobby Lobby, they are meant to be fruit baskets I think.  They come in 3 different sizes.

To make you need:

A basket
White spray paint
Ribbon
Wood tag
Paint/Stickers
Hot Glue Gun



I first spray painted the basket and the wooden tag white.  Then super glued the ribbon around the center and also super glued a bow to one side.  On the wooden tag for Ella's basket I painted her name in a matching color but for the boys' baskets I used stickers.  I then added some Mod Podge over it so it keeps.  I drilled a small hole at the top of the tag (I just used a screwdriver to poke through) then pulled the ribbon through and tied it around the other side of the basket - and done! That's it, so easy and so cute!




I think next year I am going to have to make Brayden's bigger or switch with Daddy's because the Easter bunny seemed to go overboard this year and will be lucky if everything fits in his basket!!




Thursday, March 21, 2013

Brayden - 32 Months

My little man, I cannot believe you will be turning 3 in just a few short months.  I can literally see you changing and growing into a little person before my very eyes every single day.  It makes me so sad and so happy at the same time.  I recently held you like a baby and rocked you and couldn’t contain my tears, I look at how small Ella is and then how big you were in my arms and can’t understand why time has to go so fast. I do enjoy every day with you and try not taking any of our time together for granted, yet still, time seems to slip away so quickly.  You will understand this one day – it took me until having you to realize how much I want more time.  

You have the biggest imagination and I love that you continue to use it daily.  When we are outside playing on the swingset you tell me the pirates are coming and we need to hide before they take our treasure.  Other times the dinosaurs are coming and we need to hide from them.  I love playing along with the story lines you create. 

You love arts and crafts and are so creative.  You always say, “I want to make a craft” and so we do, usually on the weekends.  You take after mommy in this sense but also Daddy because Daddy is very creative and one of the best drawers I know – I wonder if that will come out through you.

You LOVE your little sister so much.  You always give her kisses and tell her “I love you baby Ella” and if she is crying, you will say “Oh no, baby Ella is crying”  Or “she is so cute!” Sometimes you just look at her go “Awwww”  You are so thoughtful and that makes me so happy.

You love music and love to dance – when we get in the car you practically demand I turn the radio on and up then proceed to say “dance Mommy, dance!” and so I do my best dancing that I can while driving and take quick peeks back at your moves.  It’s a little hard to dance in a car seat, but you manage to shake your arms and hands around and move your head up and down, back and forth - I would say you are the best car seat dancer I’ve ever seen!! At home  you love me to put music on YouTube and we dance around the family room – if Daddy is home you ask him to dance with us and that just makes Mommy laugh oh so hard, most of the time he is a good sport and joins in with us – I just love our dance parties!!

You continue to love to read books – I love this about you.  We use to read one book before bed but now we are up to 2 or sometimes 3 and now we are reading actual books – most of my own Disney books that Grandma Deb kept.  Sometimes we spend 30 minutes reading before bed – it’s hard to say no to you when you want to read another book, although you are probably only manipulating me to stay up longer – it’s Ok though, because I know you are only going to be this little once and I will enjoy anytime you want to spend with me!

You are finally into sitting and watching movies – mostly the old Disney Classics that I loved as a child.  Right now we are on a Little Mermaid kick, but before this it was all 3 Toy Stories, you wanted to watch them every single day.  In the morning on the weekends I would come get you from your room and your first words would be “I want to watch Toy Story please!!”


You are becoming quite the little helper around the house! When you see an empty bottle from Ella you take it and put it in the sink.  You also take your empty cups or plates when you are finished and place them in the sink.  If there is a dirty diaper of Ella’s, you will grab it and put it in the garbage.  You do all of this without anyone asking you to – it is simply amazing.

You are so incredibly thoughtful – this makes your Mama so happy. You are always willing to share (for the time being that is). You say the cutest things out of nowhere, if you know I am sad, you said “Oh no, Mommy sad, give me big hug” and instantly that makes me feel better. You will tell Ella she is “so cute” or “so beautiful”.  You have the best manners I have ever seen in a 2 yr old, always saying Please, Thank You, You’re Welcome. I believe being thoughtful is a very important quality to have and the fact that you have this so young is truly amazing.  My wish is that this continues with you throughout your entire life. 


You make me and Daddy so proud to be your parents and we are so lucky you are our son. 





I just love this one!!








Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Changing to Bloglovin

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St. Patty's Day 2013

We had a great St. Patrick’s Day this past weekend– Now that I have kids, celebrating these smaller holidays are so much more fun! I have started a tradition to always give them something small for each holiday (obviously more for bigger holidays) – I think this just makes them feel extra special and I love doing it. 

This St. Patty’s Day I gave Brayden a small treat, I found the idea from a blog I love, Repeat Crafter Me – let’s just say he was very excited when he received this! Ella, well, she didn’t get anything because my rule is you have to be over 1 J Thankfully she won’t remember she didn’t get anything.



 
The kids had St. Patty’s Day outfits (of course!!) so pictures were a must!  Brayden will only give me 5 seconds now a days to take his picture (I really hope this is only a short short phase for this picture taking obsessed Mama!) so I was lucky to even get these!








I would have to say the best part of the day was when we were eating our corned beef Brayden took my face into his hands and got really close and said “You’re beautiful Mommy” – melt my heart!! I don’t know if it was sincere or if he was manipulating the situation because he didn’t want to eat, but either way, I ate it up.  That is until a minute later he said “Daddy, you’re beautiful too!” LOL This boy is just too darn cute, I love how sweet he is.

Monday, March 18, 2013

Ella - 6 Months!

My little darling, you are now 6 months old! Seriously, how the heck did that happen?! You have grown so much over the past 6 months, Daddy and I really can’t believe it.  It’s funny how much I forgot about the newborn stages.

You actually really enjoy being on your tummy and you like to watch morning cartoons with Brayden that way, you are scooting your little butt and moving your legs so much it looks like you already want to take off! I would prefer if you slowed down J

You have been on a hypoallergenic formula for a couple of weeks now and things are much better – you do not have any more blood in your stool (YAY!!!) So we are taking the dr’s orders and keeping you on this formula.  I am sad that you won’t be getting breastmilk anymore but I am doing what is best for both of us. 

You are happy pretty much all of the time now (except at night – he he) When I get home from work, you give me the biggest smiles and that makes me so incredibly happy.  All we have to do is look at you and you are just all smiles.  You are talking a little, mostly goo goo ga ga’s and I’ve only heard you laugh one more time since the first time.

You LOVE bath time and always have! This is much different from big brother.  You can be in the worst mood but once we put you in the tub you are back to your happy self. 

The Dr. says you are ready to eat food (this makes me nervous and excited at the same time!) so Mommy is going to start building up a supply of homemade baby food - more to come on this once you start eating J

Your 6 month stats are as follows:

Head:  41.5cm
Weight:11lbs 12.5oz
Height: 24.5in

You have lost a little weight from the last time we were there so the Dr. has us increasing your milk intake and by adding the food hopefully you can pack on some lbs soon J




You are so beautiful Little Miss and I love you so so much!

Thursday, March 14, 2013

Brayden's Nice Bowl

So my little man has become quite the little helper! Out of nowhere he started taking the bottles once Ella was done and putting them in the sink, he picks up dirty (pee) diapers and throws them away, when he is done drinking out of his cup, he places it in the sink.  I love that he just picked up on these things on his own by watching us. 

I decided it was time to start a “nice” bowl – I have seen some on Pinterest and wanted to make one specifically for my little guy.  I went to the dollar store and bought a glass bowl and a couple bags of those glass rocks (we call them marbles at home).  Then to decorate it we went to Hobby Lobby and I let Brayden pick out the stickers to decorate it and I bought some letter stickers to put a cute little rhyme on the bowl.

My plans is to let him add 1 marble each time he does a nice deed and once he reaches 20 we will reward him with a special treat – something small such as a trip to McDonalds, a little toy, a new movie, a yummy treat, all things that I know will make him very happy!

I must say the bowl is quite a hit and I love rewarding my little guy for his good deeds.  He continues to amaze me and I am so proud to be his Mama!


I actually thought of this rhyme all by myself!




I just love the stickers he picked out!



Monday, March 11, 2013

A Well Deserved Trip to the Zoo!

Soooooo Brayden has been potty trained now for a little over a month - Go Brayden! But as I mentioned in the potty training post here we were still having some issues with going number 2 in the potty.  I asked Brayden originally what he wanted once he went number 2 on the potty and he said he wanted to go to the zoo - He LOVES the zoo - so we have been telling him for over a month, as soon as he goes on the potty, we will take him.  Well the days turned into weeks and I just thought oh well, he'll get it one day, but in the meantime, I really wanted to go to the zoo too, so we scheduled a family zoo trip for Saturday March 9th. 

On Friday March 8th, Brayden and I were having dinner and I noticed he was getting a little ancy at the table, so I asked if he had to go to the bathroom, he said no in a scared voice so I knew that meant yes. We went into the bathroom, he sat on his little potty and I told him tonight was the night he was going to go on the potty - he was definitely a little scared and kept standing up but I would gently push him back on to his potty.  I just told him to relax and push and he would feel so much better once he was done.  30 minutes later, he did it!! He was so happy and proud of himself, as was I! I couldn't believe it happened honestly, but I was beyond thrilled! We then proceeded to have an ice cream party as I bribed promised him throughout the ordeal. 

I thought it was so crazy he actually went to the potty the night before we had plans to go to the zoo, this was the goal the whole time and I gave up thinking it wouldn't happen, and then he went and suprised me and did it - My little boy is amazing.

So off to the zoo we went the next day












Ellas first trip to the zoo!



The little stinker doesn't want to take pictures with Mama anymore - isn't this a little too soon to be happening?!

I think it's safe to say Brayden had a great time - the next morning he woke up and said - "Go to the zoo, please please please please!!!" This kid is just too cute!!

Monday, March 4, 2013

Snow Cones from Real Snow!


This weekend Brayden and I made snow cones with the snow from our backyard.  It's something I've been wanting to do with him ever since he discovered eating snow (of course I steer him away from the yellow snow!)  I remember being a kid and always eating the snow, it always tasted so good to me.  Kind of funny to me now that I'm older, but I love watching Brayden do something I use to do.  

This was a really fun experience and I would recommend it to anyone with kids!










 Recipe for the snow cone syrup:

  • 2/3 cup of sugar
  • 1/3 cup of water
  • .14 oz (1 packet) of any flavor Kool Aid
Boil the sugar and water then add the Kool Aid - allow it to cool and pour over your snow :)


 
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