Ella's Baby Photo Book

After Brayden was born I was looking for a cute personalized photo album for him.  I searched and searched and finally bought one off Etsy - I wasn't in love with it, but I liked it.  I have no idea why it was so hard for me to find what I was looking for online, but it was.  So once Ella was born I started my search again, not finding anything I loved - again.  Then I thought - I'll make one! I started searching Pinterest (of course) and surprisingly couldn't find a good tutorial.  I ended up googling and found a great video on YouTube - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hn3V5S1Ciqs.

I ordered my photo book from Amazon and went to Joanns where I found the cutest fabric.  The only other item I needed that I didn't have was batting so I picked that up too.

Here's how it turned out! I love it so much - it's exactly what I wanted.  And for the birth stats I was finally able to use my Silhouette Portrait - love that thing!

I-Phone Dump

I have SO many pics on my I-Phone, I decided to do a weekly post to "dump" them all - I think I have a small problem when it comes to taking pics on my phone :)

This was at our trip to the mall on Friday, just me and the kids.  Brayden loves playing in this play area

Ella was having fun too!

Practicing golf in our backyard :)

My niece's 4th birthday party at Pump it Up - such a fun place!

Brayden wouldn't go on any of the inflatables so he chose to do this instead :)

Breaking the rules :)

Just hangin around the house :)

Sleeping with Henry - his favorite "friend" - could this boy be ANY cuter?!?

Little Miss Giggles *Video*

The hubs was able to capture Little Miss giggling her butt off the other day on video!! I love when moments like this are captured!

Spring Kiddie Activities

Emiliy over at They Call me Mama got me in the mood to post about some kiddie craft/activities that I have on our To Do list this Spring.

I could spend days browsing through Pinterest! To say I'm addicted to this site would be a slight understatement.  I have pinned a bunch of kiddie crafts/activities under my Stuff for Kids and Outdoor Kid Play boards.  I am pretty good about doing a craft every week wtih Brayden, but sometimes our crafts just consist of coloring/drawing/painting a piece of paper.

I hope by putting this list out there it will hold me accountable to get moving on these fun kiddie crafts!


1)  Cookie Cutter Bird Feeder

2) Name Craft

3) Painting with Nature



4) Sidewalk Chalk Paint

This just makes me so excited for warmer weather! Now only if I was a SAHM and could do these kinds of things on a daily basis :) * Wishful Thinking*

Sunday Fun!

Yesterday was our one day on the weekend where we really didn’t have too much going on, we love these days J

Brayden started the morning off by doing his new puzzles I picked up for him the day before while out shopping – he has really shown a huge interest lately in puzzles – actual pieces puzzles.  He has always liked puzzles and has been doing them since he turned 1.  He has mastered all of his “younger” puzzles so it was perfect when the Easter bunny brought him some puzzles for “big boys”

He has been putting these puzzles together all by himself and is so proud each time, which I am too!

We started using the highchair for Little Miss - LOVE!  (side note, cannot wait to get rid of that flooring!)

We also spent time doing a craft, something we haven’t done together as a family in about a month.  We all had so much fun painting J



Love weekend time with my precious family! Just wish we could have one more day!

Blessed

Last night we had some bad storms, which always leads our pup to completely freak out.  We weren't up all night with either child, but with the dog! It wasn't until 3:30am that the hubs finally decided to put him in his case in the basement.  I got up for work and was scared that something may have happened to him (he works himself up so bad that I worry he will have a heart attack!!) and started feeling guilty for putting him down there.  When I went to go check on him, before I even opened the door I heard him barking so I figured "he's fine!" I left for work while the rest of my family was still sleeping.

A couple hours later the hubby calls to tell me our basement had flooded!! 3 inches of water covered every inch of the ground.  He told me he walked down and saw Max literally floating around.  I have to admit, that image had me giggle a little in a time that was otherwise kind of stressful.  Thankfully our basement isn't finished or it would have been WAY worse, but still, enough damage was done (still haven't seen everything that's been damaged) and the hubby's morning was completely ruined.  He spent the morning with our plumber pumping the water out of our house, setting up fans and the de-humidifier, and moving all of the wet boxes, etc to our garage.  I am so thankful he did that for us!

So far the only big item we know of that is damaged is our 56" tv.  Possibly damaged are another tv, my treadmill (Ahhh!) and some old pictures.  Those were the only things the hubs said for sure.  There are plenty of boxes in the garage we have yet to go through.

Although this was kind of disastrous, in the bigger scheme of things, it really isn't that bad.  We still have eachother and most of this stuff (hopefully) can be replaced.  At the end of the day, I was just so happy to come home to my beautiful kiddos.  Before having them, something like this may have had me freaking out.  But now I have realized (since having them) what life is truly about and I am really trying not to sweat the small stuff.

I am beyond blessed to have these 2 in my life (as well as my hubby!)

Ella's Baptism

This past Sunday was Ella's baptism - it was such a beautiful celebration and our little angel looked so lovely! She wore the same outfit I did when I was baptized 28 years ago, my Mom kept it in mint condition.  I honestly couldn't believe she kept it and how gorgeous it was.  It was so special to me to have my daughter wear the same dress I did.

We chose my SIL and BIL to be her Godparents and couldn't be happier about that choice.

Such a pretty girl!!!

The best family photo we could get - little man was so tired

Ella's Godparents

The beautiful cake my Aunt made

Bonding with Baby

From the day Ella was born and had to stay in the NICU, I worried about our bonding.  Her delivery experience was all new to me.  With Brayden I was able to have him in my room immediately and we started breastfeeding hours after he was born.  I felt an immediate connection to him and was so in love.  After Ella was born, I got to see her for only a few minutes and then it was off to my room for recovery.  The next morning I was running a fever so I couldn’t see her that entire day.  I went 36 hours before seeing my baby again.  It was terrible. 

I knew that breastfeeding her to help bond was out of the question.  That made me sad but there was nothing that could be done about it.

Seeing my daughter for only an hour or two at a time while she was in the hospital was rough.  She was always sleeping so I would just lay her on me and I did feel close to her but it was just different.  She was so tiny and fragile I was always a little scared when touching/holding her.  The worry about bonding grew the longer she stayed at the hospital.

After her 3 week stay I was so excited to get her home.  We were going to try nursing and I thought that would help us bond, unfortunately after many failed attempts, that never happened.  I beat myself up a little over that and kept thinking I would never bond with her like I did with her brother.  For the next couple of months I felt like a machine that’s only purpose was to provide milk and Ella spent most of her time sleeping.  Like I said before, it was just different. I loved her so much instantly but that bond of her knowing I was Mama wasn’t there (or at least I wasn’t feeling it)

After a couple more months, it started happening, she would smile at me, stare into my eyes as I rocked her - I felt like she was starting to know me. I would hold her and tears would start to fall because I knew it was finally happening – we were bonding.  Since then it has only gotten better. I feel an intense bond with her now.  I can feel her love for me and I think she can feel my love for her.  I absolutely love going home every day from work and seeing her – she lights up my day.  She is really starting to engage and interact with me, and every day just gets better.

I feel silly for ever thinking I wouldn’t feel a bond with her, but in the beginning everything that was happening was all so new to me and my emotions were everywhere.  I am just happy I was wrong.

Date Night with my Little Man

On Friday I took my little man out on a date - just the 2 of us.  I have been wanting to spend some one on one time with him and reward him for being such a good little helper lately.  He filled up his nice bowl so I knew it was a perfect time. 

We went to Steak and Shake and had fries and milkshakes, but all Brayden had was the milkshake :) He was so happy when it was brought to the table.  He kept wanting to try mine, then his, mine then his.  His reaction to the taste was adorable.

While sitting there I kept thinking how lucky I am to have this amazing little boy in my life.  He truly makes every day better and has made me a better person.  He has brought us so much joy (and headaches sometimes, he he) and I am so proud to call him my son.  As I just sat and watched him I couldn't help but tear up a little.  I just love being this little boy's Mama.

We had such a good time just chatting and being goofy - I plan to continue doing date nights just the 2 of us as much as possible.  I think it's important for each kid to have one on one time and feel extra special.  I will do the same with Ella once she is big enough :) 

Easter 2013

I can’t believe Easter is already here and gone and we are now in April – really, how the heck did that happen!?

This year, Easter festivities were a lot of fun with little man, he really got into everything (except for sitting on the bunny’s lap!)

We took him to the park district to see the Bunny and play some carnival themed games. They also had a little petting zoo – he was so funny by the animals, he’s still not so sure of some things :) The main reason to go was to see the Bunny – it was much cheaper than it would have been to go to the mall and much better atmosphere – Once again, we got the classic crying on the lap picture – I wonder if next year he will still cry?  I love Ella’s “What am I doing on this bunny’s lap?” face – she is so cute!

We dyed Easter eggs the day before Easter – it was so fun this year! I decided to get creative and not just do the standard coloring for decorating.  We used the coloring, but also used paint, stickers, embellishments, sharpies and glitter.  I think our eggs turned out pretty cool and it was so nice to spend time as a family.

Grandma Deb came over that night and brought the kids their baskets – wow was her Easter Bunny generous! 

Easter morning Little Man came down and saw his basket and said “Woooowowow” and then proceeded to go downstairs and ask for a movie to be turned on without even looking further at his basket – this kid is too funny sometimes.  I got him to come back and look at what the Easter Bunny brought him and he was very pleased with all of his gifts – the kids got so much, not just from our Easter Bunny but the grandparents’ Easter Bunny as well.

Daddy helped Ella open her basket and she did her normal “I don’t care” look, I love that look on her actually, I think she looks super cute when she is super serious.

Daddy then took Brayden in the backyard for his own little egg hunt – the Easter Bunny left so many eggs back there and was very generous with what was inside – dollar coins.  Brayden found all of the eggs and then split the money with Ella – thankfully he didn’t have a problem doing that.  I took video of him doing the hunt – so so cute!!

We spent Easter at the hubby’s grandparents home – we do a brunch at the restaurant inside their community every year and after there was an egg hunt for the little kiddies – Brayden really got into it this year.  At first when I told him it was time to start picking up all the eggs he could find, he would grab one, stop, look at it and say “wow this is a beautiful egg” OMG could he crack me up anymore!? I had to keep reminding him to grab as many as possible. 

Prettiest Girl in the World!

Trying the start the hunt early - little stinker :)

Cousins!

The best family photo we could get with an uncooperative 2.5 yr old :)

It was a great Easter and I know I say this a lot, but it’s because I mean it, I am blessed beyond words.  Having these kiddos makes the holidays that much more special and makes me truly realize just how lucky I am.  I love our little family more than I can express!