Twinkle, Twinkle

Dylan's favorite song right now is Twinkle, Twinkle. He sings it multiple times a day for all to hear. If Emersyn cries he sings. If I ask him to sing a song, his default is Twinkle, Twinkle. I have no idea why, but we are currently on a same song kick. I have about 20 videos of him singing and thought I'd share one from today. I was trying to take a picture and he said "No Mommy, take a video of me singing". The moment I said go, I knew he would sing his favorite song. If you listen carefully, Emersyn was in the swing next to me and she was singing as well. It was a Twinkle, Twinkle Duet!!!!

The Beginning Bounce

Emersyn has begun to figure out her bouncer. At first she just sat there, content looking at everything, taking in the world around her. Slowly she has figured out how to bounce. If we clap, cheer or say 'bounce & jump' she will smile and actually do it. I am bias but I think she is so stinking cute.

HSLC Halloween

How cute is this!?!?!?!?


This picture was taken at daycare. I thought it was super cute and wanted to share. Now, I took a picture of a picture using my phone and for some reason I can't get it to rotate. I can rotate all of my other photo's but this one is acting up. So you will have to tilt your head to view it! Sorry about that :-)

Emersyn's Sleeping Habits

I've had some inquiries on Emersyn's sleep habits since surgery.....

Well, I'm happy to finally say that Emersyn is sleeping through the night again. Last night she slept 12 hours without making a peep. AT LAST! She is almost 3 months post-op and a few weeks ago we rounded a corner. I resorted to sleep training, including letting her cry it out. I'm not a fan of what we had to do, but Zack & I were loosing our minds getting up ever 15-35 minutes. NO exaggerating!!! That didn't include getting up for Dylan or the dogs. So after weeks of 'training', she started sleeping, meaning only getting up 2-3 times. Then she got a cold, so anytime she got up was purely because she couldn't breathe or she was having a cough attack. Now that her cold is on the upswing, she is sleeping well. I mean she is a champion sleeper. Occasionally she will get up once to eat, but that's about it. WAHOOOOO! It's been a long road, but we've made it and that's all that counts.

Now, if I could just get everyone to sleep the night at the same time, life would be great!

Don't get me wrong, life is wonderful, but who doesn't like to sleep? I can't remember the last time I slept 4 hours straight without having to get up for someone. I see the light at the end of the tunnel!

Giggles with Daddy

Emersyn's laugh is really coming along. Thought I'd share........

The video was taken with my phone. It picks up on her VERY pink walls...sorry.

Pumpkin Carving

Pumpkin carving is another tradition we like to share with our kids. In the past, Dylan would sit and watch as we carved the pumpkin. This year he was involved and loving it....well, most of it.
Emersyn obviously had no idea what was going on. She was just happy to be in the action.
This year we only bought one pumpkin. The whole process takes long enough with one pumpkin, let alone two. We used a pattern from the carving kit I bought at Target. Zack did most of the work as expected, but Dylan assisted when he could. As usual, I am the one behind the camera.

Dylan was shouting with excitement.

I don't mind cutting a pumpkin, baking the seeds, but I HATE touching the goop on the inside. I pumped Dylan up so he would NOT be like me. I wanted him to love it like a boy should. He started off in good spirits.............

Only to freak out when the goop was on his hand. Immediately he yelled " Get it off, get it off, get me a napkin!" We tried to tell him it was okay, but the boy is a product of his Mommy. In this case, I wish he wasn't like me. We tried, we really tried. He just doesn't like to get his hands dirty. This picture says it all!!!!!!

My little beauty supervising all of the fun!

During pumpkin carving time she enjoyed oatmeal and applesauce.

The finished product, two spooky looking ghosts!

The pumpkin carving team.

Belly Sleeper

This is Emersyn's new sleeping position. She now sleeps on her tummy with her butt up in the air. It's very cute. At first it made me nervous, but each day I am becoming more and more comfortable with it. I wanted to include this in the 5 month post, but I didn't take it in time.

Pumpkin Patch

Family traditions were always a part of my childhood and they are the memories I cherish. It's important to me to create those traditions and memories for our kids. When Zack and I were dating we'd go to the pumpkin patch every year. It was fun as a couple, but having kids brings more excitement to everything.

This year we went to Green Acres Farm. This place is not just a pumpkin patch, but a farm with goats, cows, horses, tractors, and more. Specifically for the Fall season they have bounce houses, a corn maze, hay rides, hay stacks, train rides, sand pits for the kids to dig in, a play set, animal feedings, and much, much more! We had a blast as it was a beautiful day to make memories.

Emersyn always starts off in the stroller. Eventually we take her out. She loves to take in her surroundings with those big blue eyes. As I took this picture she looked at me like "Mommy, where are we?".

My handsome boys! The position of the sun made it look like something was burning a hole in Zack's forehead. HA! Dylan...well, he was refusing to smile at the moment. I was just lucky he sat long enough for a picture.

Dylan loves all types of transportation, so siting on the tractors was quite exciting!

Zack did everything in his power to convince Dylan that hitting this bell was fun. Dylan loves to watch but can be very hesitant. Even after showing him how much fun it was, he refused.

Waiting impatiently for a snack.

Award winning photo!!! My heart melts when I look at this. I actually think I may frame it. Dylan was talking to Emersyn, and as usual she is smitten with him. The genuine smiles on all of their faces is beautiful. I love my family!

Loving the hay ride!

Dylan loves to be measured.

It was so sunny, squinting was a must. This was the only shot I had where Emersyn was looking. She was more interested in the pumpkins. I had to cut myself out of the photo. I looked terrible.

Zack told Dylan to hug a pumpkin. Instead he tried to pick it up. I think the pumpkin weighed more than him.

We had a great time at Green Acres farm. Next up, carving pumpkins and trick-or-treating.

I added this picture to capture his shirt. I found this shirt and couldn't resist!

WILL TRADE SISTER FOR CANDY!!! That is the truth in Dylans eyes!

Emersyn is 5 months

Emersyn turned 5 months on October 10th. Yup, I'm late posting this. I just said to Zack this afternoon that I better get a move on it or she will be 6 months before we know it. So with that being said, our little ladybug is growing up so fast. Where has the time gone? She is growing like a weed and changing everyday.

Milestones and other tid bits Emersyn is doing this month:

- Still drooling non-stop

- Loves to chew on hands, teethers, and small toys

- Puts toes in her mouth when lying on her back

- Makes bubbles or raspberries

- Babbles 'sings'

- Beginning to jump in her jumper

- Rolls over at a rapid pace from back to belly. We are working on belly to back but she's not quite catching on

- Pushes up on forearms and if interested enough she pushes up all the way

- She was a back sleeper, then switched to sleeping on her side. Her newest thing this week is sleeping on her belly which in turn makes me nervous.

- Grabbing at close by objects including hair, earrings, shirts, arm fat :-)

- Her eyes are still blue, which we hope stay

-Hair is more auburn than dark brown like the rest of us and it's growing in!!

- She is basically out of 3-6m clothes. We have her in many 6-9m outfits that fit comfortable.

- Sleeping through the night again! FINALLY!!!! If we get up twice that's a lot.

- We've introduced her to oatmeal and bananas. She has taken well to both and bites hard on the spoon. She is a messy eater as well!

- This month Emersyn has had her first full blown cold. Runny and stuffy noes, red cheeks, and a horrible cough. Not fun!

And for the pictures...............

Emersyn loves her jumper. Today she was jumping like a maniac in there. It's funny to watch her but awesome to see her figure out how it works.

Tasty toes!

We try and give her as much tummy time as she will tolerate. Dylan hated his belly and never really crawled, so we are trying to encourage tummy time hoping she will crawl soon.

This was one of many pictures from her 5 month photo shoot. She had yet another tu-tu and I can't help but put her in them for these monthly pictures. In this picture she was laughing at her Daddy. Next month we will go for professional pictures. If I had a money tree, I would have them done every month. Unfortunately I have have yet to find that money tree, so I will continue taking my own pictures.

While she's not smiling, this is one of my favorites. She is now bigger than the bear. This photo makes her look so little, but don't let it fool you. She is a solid ladybug, enough to make your arm hurt from carrying her. I have high hopes she will one day be tall. She does have chubby parts to her, but she is long. I love her innocent facial expression in the picture. It makes me want to snuggle with her. Oh how I love this little girl!!!!

NC Zoo

I am behind on my blog posts. I started back to work last week and we are adjusting to the new schedule. I forgot how busy we get when both of us are working.
Now onto our wonderful trip to the NC Zoo.......

The Friday before I started my job we decided to go to the zoo. Fall is the perfect time because it's not as hot and going on a weekday would mean less crowds. I think it took us close to 2 hours to get there and surprisingly the kids did great in the car. I think the anticipation of going to the zoo is what was killing Dylan. We've only been to the NC Zoo once before and Dylan was a lot younger. He only remembers through the pictures we have. Now that he is older and very much into animals, we thought this was the perfect time. So we packed for a day trip and off we went.

Thank goodness for a double stroller! With an infant and a toddler, I can't think of any other way of getting around the zoo. Dylan did his fair share of walking as Emersyn hung out in the baby bjorn but when both kids were tired, the stroller was a life saver. We saw many wonderful animals. The polar bear was the only animal not at the zoo. They are renovating his home so he was temporarily moved. Otherwise, we saw pretty much everything. Dylan was in awe of every animal and couldn't wait to move on to the next attraction. Emersyn enjoyed herself and was definitely over stimulated. I didn't post many animal pictures, just moments of the kids enjoying themselves.

It was chilly in the morning but quickly warmed up. Emersyn had a blast. These days she loves to look around and take in the world around her. Unfortunately every picture we take of her she is wearing a bib. Boy oh boy does that girl drool! I love this picture because she was so serious. At this point she was in the baby bjorn staring at the animals.

Dylan LOVES Diego & Dora so we had to take our picture here. This was a 4-D movie adventure. We didn't go in because of course it cost extra money, but also because Dylan hasn't been to the movies yet and I wasn't about to start at the zoo.

Here is the zoo crew! Zack & I took turns pushing the stroller while the other person carried Emersyn in the baby bjorn.

I'm never really in photos because I'm always behind the camera. We worked really hard to get Dylan to look at the camera and still failed. He was so distracted by the people and the chimps. So this is the best shot we had.

This picture is priceless! Dylan was enamored by the chimps. There was a baby chimp smaller than Emersyn that rode on its Mommy's back. Too cute! The chimp in this photo walked right up to the glass and put its hand by Dylan's. It was AWESOME. Then it backed up a bit while Dylan couldn't contain his excitement. The glare of the glass stinks, but the picture is a once in a lifetime shot. We spend a long time watching these chimps.

Here is Dylan still entertained by the chimps. They were very loud and active. Dylan was very entertained.

We had a great time. I'd love to take the kids to the aquarium at some point. Dylan is at the age where he is very interested and excited to learn. It was a great day with the family.

Separation Anxiety

Separation anxiety comes in all different forms. In this case, I'm referring to me and Emersyn. Parent and child, both suffering from the anxiety of being apart.

Monday was her first day of daycare. I cried Sunday night and had difficulty sleeping. On Monday morning I had a pit in my stomach. Emersyn has been through a lot in her little life and the thought of someone else caring for her makes me nervous. We've spent 5 wonderful months together. She's my cuddle bug, my other appendage, my partner in crime. I went through this with Dylan when he was 12 weeks. Somehow this was different. Maybe it was because she has gone through so much, or maybe it's because we were together for so long. I should be a pro at this but I'm not. Nope not at all. The thought of trying to explain Emersyn, all her likes & dislikes, her eye, and her surgery is exhausting. Oh did I mention her case of stranger danger. She has entered a phase where she cries when others hold her. This is purely our fault. She really hasn't been held by anyone else, well maybe the doctors. Hopefully being in daycare will cure this. All of these factors make me overly worried. I'm a worry wort if you will! I try not to be but I can't help it.

** I started this post at the beginning of the week and now it's the weekend. At this point I'll recap her week.

Monday she didn't really eat or sleep. She was exhausted. I checked on her frequently and fed her during my lunch break. At one point she was screaming so loud they had to take her out of the room. That made sad. I couldn't wait to pick the kids up after my shift. I cried all the way home feeling like a horrible parent. Dylan sat in his seat saying " don't cry Mommy".

Tuesday and Wednesday were a little better. She was napping and eating a little. She's usually my little cow, eating a lot throughout the day. With her not eating as much, I naturally was worried. Her teacher reassured me it was her way of adjusting to the new faces and environment. I spent half of my lunch visiting her. It's an adjustment for both of us. I missed her so much!!

Thursday and Friday she started with a cold. Yup, worried again. She had great days. She napped, she ate, she sat in the swing and bumbo, watched the other babies and even went for a walk. 4 babies in a stroller is too cute! Her cold was present but she handled it well. (Dylan & I are both suffering from Fall colds as well). I did visit her on my lunch breaks but with a different feeling. Since she was doing well, my anxiety decreased. Her teacher stated that for her first week she did extremely well. This transition has been hard on her but harder on me. My visits to her classroom will become less. I don't want her to get in the habit of seeing me. But for now it eases my worries to see that she is okay.

It probably sounds ridiculous that I'm having separation anxiety when she is in the same building, but I can't help it. I love working with children, but my heart is at home. I want to change her poopy diaper, make her laugh, and see her reach milestones for the first time. It was a gift to stay at home. Some will say they are not cut out to be a stay at home Mommy, I on the other hand LOVE it.

Tomorrow we enter week 2. I'm sure Mondays will be difficult as we will re-adjust.

As I've stated in my last post, I hope that one day I can return to being a stay at home Mom.

SAHM Journey

My journey as a stay at home mom has come to an end.

Let me start from the beginning.

When I was pregnant with Emersyn we had endless childcare conversations. I loved teaching Kindergarten but the negatives completely outweighed the positives. On a nightly basis I would bring home hours worth of work. Pay increases in Wake County are non-existent while child care costs continue to rise. I wanted to give 100% to both my job and family but I couldn't do both. My family is far more important to me and a priority. Financially to put 2 kids in daycare would cost us close to $2100, which is slightly more than what I was bringing home a month. So after months of weighing pros vs. Cons, we decided I'd stay at home. I was elated to have the opportunity to stay at home and raise my babies. A dream come true!!!!

Now keep in mind, we made this decision prior to finding out Emersyn needed surgery. Life throws curve balls when we least expect it. So as the medical bills pour in, and that is putting it lightly, we started to panic. Yes we have insurance BUT the surgery is still costing us thousands. So our only option was for me to get a job. My 5 month reign as a SAHM is over. For me this is heart wrenching. I love being at home with Dylan & Emersyn more than any job. But providing for them is essential.

With that being said, I took a job at Dylans daycare (Holly Springs Learning Center). He loves it there, the staff is friendly, and it seems

like a great place to work. The facility is 5 minutes from our house and I cut through a neighborhood to get there. As an employee I get a Tuition discount. It's a wonderful rate which means I will take home a pay check and medical bills will eventually be paid off. I'm working with the 3 1/2 year olds. It's a new age group for me but I'm up for the challenge.

Having Dylan & Emersyn in the same building is the next best thing to staying at home. While I'm not directly with them, I can see them and know they are okay.

Life throws curve balls sometimes and this is how we are handling it. Hopefully one day I will have another opportunity to stay at home. That is where my heart is.

As one door closes, another opens. I guess that's life right?

Golf Outing

Zack had been asking for a set of golf clubs for months. So for his birthday we bought him some. He has been golfing bi-weekly after work with a few guys from Pentair. Not only is this his new hobby but it also allows him some much needed guy time.

This past Saturday he went with three other guys from work and played 18 holes. During the week they only play 9 since that is all day light will allow for. I had one of his buddies take some pictures of him. They were taken from a cell phone so the quality isn't great but you can get the idea. I never really post about Zack's work or hobbies so I thought it was time.

I love the above pictures. The beams of sunlight make it look neat, oh and yes my honey is looking great too! Check out his sweet golf shoes!

For whatever reason this picture is clear. They golfed at a course in Clayton. The homes that back up to golf courses always amaze me. They are so beautiful, why would they want a golf course in their yard??? Anyway, Zack had a great time and will continue his golf adventures during the week. I like him home on Saturdays :-)

Cereal

I started Emersyn on rice cereal a few weeks back. I've been meaning to post about it but somehow there is just not enough time in the day. Anyway, with Dylan we waited until he was closer to 6 months. Emersyn is a hungry girl so I thought I'd give it a shot. Rice cereal didn't sit well with her belly as it was causing diarrhea. The pediatrician suggested going off of cereal all together for a few days to clear up her GI track. We just recently started up again, this time trying a single grain oatmeal. I think she actually prefers the oatmeal rather than the rice. I would as well since the rice cereal is so bland and doesn't look appetizing at all. She gobbles the oatmeal right up. I'm hoping her belly agrees with this one. Then we can start on some fruit. I'm not in a rush to buy baby food, but I feel like she wants something else other than formula. Most babies her age can go 3-4 hours in between feedings. Not Emersyn! My baby girl loves to eat. She goes anywhere between 2-3 hours. If I try to hold her off she becomes a very cute looking monster.

I tried to capture her eating cereal but the pictures are not the greatest. I took them with my phone and I took them by myself while trying to feed her. Not a good combination. I probably should have waited for Zack to come home. Oh well.

Let me tell you about these hands of hers! They are ALWAYS in her mouth. So after every spoonful of cereal, she'd shove her hands in her mouth and suck on them. Very interesting to watch and a bit frustrating for the person feeding her. The cereal ends up all over her face, bib, hands, legs, shirt and many other places. Fun, fun for everyone!

I had to include a picture of these sexy legs! I LOVE THEM!! Including solids in her meals will only make the rolls bigger. Wahoo! Gotta' love the chub!

National Geographic

National Geographic for Kids came in the mail today. I think I was more excited than Dylan. He was excited once he knew it was his and saw it had animals in it. He loves to get mail so this is a great start. His Nana purchased a subscription to High Five magazine as well and that will start in December. My goal is for the mailbox to have more in it for Dylan than for us.

Smile

A smile is contagious, be a carrier!

At the Playground

This afternoon I took the kids to the neighborhood playground. It was beautiful out and we needed to get some fresh air. Or should I say, Dylan needed to release some energy. I put the kids in the stroller and we walked to the playground rockin' out to the Barenaked Ladies Snacktime CD. I forgot to mention that our new jogging stroller has an input for my iPhone.

Dylan was deciding if this tunnel slide was scary or not. He just started going down slides independently. Something about them would scare him. He is NOT a risk taker like his Daddy.

Emersyn hanging out in the stroller. This bib is funny because I despise glitter. It was part of the bib pack.

Well folks...he is actually 'tooting' here. After he yells "Excuse me Mommy, I tooted"

A beautiful day in the neighborhood.

A slide just his size.

A beautiful Monday afternoon with my kids. I LOVE every second of it!

A Taste of Fall

I already had this post typed and published until I realized the titled said "At Taste of Fall". That is what I get for typing with an infant on my lap. I was so annoyed that I had to delete the entire post. I tried to edit it, but for some reason my computer doesn't like me. So here I am typing this all over again, hoping to remember what I wrote. ARRR!

So lets try again.......

We welcomed the month of October with cool weather, cookie making, football, cleaning and decorating for Halloween. Dylan loves to help me clean so he assisted in dusting. His favorite part is going outside to shake out his 'duster' as he calls it. We made cookies together and did some decorating for Halloween. Holidays are becoming more fun as the kids grow. It makes us feel like kids again which is such a wonderful feeling. The 'giddy' comes over me as I think of all the fun activities in the months to come.

Ladybug in her capri-overalls. They are 3-6 months and she barely fits in them. Keep in mind she is only 4 1/2m.

My cleaning buddy shaking out his duster.

Decorating the front door.

Assisting in decorating for Halloween or shall I say playing with everything as I decorate.

Anxiously awaiting his cookies to finish baking.

Taste tester Dylan!

Emersyn will probably be a ladybug for Halloween and Dylan wants to be a pirate. Stay tuned....

So we've had a taste of Fall, lets hope it's here to stay!