Day in the Life of Belle

So we couldn't do just a Day in the Life of Allie-Ann without sharing Belle's day as well. So this is it...


Sleep

Cuddling

Fussing

Burping

Nursing

Our crazy dog...

Sleeping again...

That's it...did I forget something...Sleep, Eat, Poop, Burp, Cry, Sleep

2's verse the 3's and Day in Life of Allie-Ann

I have heard over the years that the "terrible twos" are a parents' nightmare. When Allie-Ann turned 2, I discovered that the "terrible" wasn't that terrible. In fact I found many of the things she would do simply adorable because she didn't have the language to communicate her needs. She would just get into mischief and I had to watch her constantly. Now that she is approaching her 3rd birthday I have found that with her mischief comes her ability to communicate and together makes the 3's much more terrible than the 2's in my opinion. For example when asking Allie-Ann if she wanted to go to the grocery store with mommy today, she replied, "No, you go by yourself." Ouch!!! My adorable, pinch her cheeks little baby, is turning into a girl who knows what she wants and is scaring me a little. With the many tantrums, timeouts and spanking (yes, I do spank my child...I was spanked and turned out fine, I don't spank on the bottom though, just on the hand) that I've had to give Allie-Ann lately makes me dread the 3's. I will say that Allie-Ann is the most creative, imaginative little 2 year old I have ever seen but with that creative intelligence comes mommy wanting to pull her hair out many days. I treasure these times though because I know I will never get them back especially when she sits in my lap and looks up to me and says..."Mommy, I love you so much!"

I tried to do something different with my blog post and take pictures of "The Day in the Life of Allie-Ann" I started this morning but was worn out by the end of the day to think about taking pictures but I did manage to get a few just to give you an idea of what we do around here.

This picture was taken the other day when Allie-Ann received her medal for the summer reading program by our public library. I've said before that Allie-Ann doesn't sleep with stuffed animals but sleeps with books instead. Every morning when I go to get her I find several books in her bed. She loves her books and listening to mommy and daddy read her stories.

Now I know this picture is crazy with Allie-Ann sitting on her froggy potty while watching Belle but we are doing all that we can to get this little girl out of diapers.

So starts our DAY IN THE LIFE OF ALLIE-ANN. This is how I found Allie-Ann this morning when I went to her room. Most of the time she stays in her bed till I get up there but this morning she ventured out to play. 

Allie-Ann getting ready for breakfast...

Breakfast of choices at our house consist of eggs, grits, sausage, oatmeal pancakes, cereal, waffles, or french toast with a fruit. We had eggs this morning.

After breakfast we sit on the froggy potty...

Fast forward to lunch...prior to lunch Allie-Ann played outside with Daddy on the swing and the sandbox. Unfortunately she tee teed in the sandbox, which resulted in a naked toddler running around our house with Kyle trying to squirt her off with the hose. Didn't want to post the pictures of this incident.

After lunch is play time in her playroom. Notice Rusty sitting intently by Allie-Ann...she was playing with her pastas and Rusty LOVES to eat them.

Quiet time....watching Maisy and sitting on the potty again....

Just finished eating mommy's blueberry, Peach Pie!!!

This picture sums up our Allie-Ann!!!!

After snack, Kyle took her to the lake and finally came back for dinner, bath and bedtime. Whew!!

I Love Some Blueberry Cobbler, Robot

It's been a busy weekend filled with visitors and inside creative fun. In a way I think having a baby in the heat of the summer is perfect because there isn't anything to do outside when it's hot and you have to be inside a lot with a newborn anyway so it works out great. Plus by the time it does start to cool off some, little Belle will be ready to venture out and about, not that she hasn't been out already but it's just been so hot.  But it wasn't too hot for daddy and Allie-Ann to go blueberry picking again...ha. They went out early in the morning because we had to have some more blueberries. For their effort, I made a blueberry cobbler that Allie-Ann absolutely devoured. She just loves her desserts as evident in the pictures below.
Little Belle is still doing well, she is such a charmer already. She feeds every 2/3 hours consistently, and really only cries when she is hungry. She does makes these grunting noises though that is driving Kyle nuts but I think is adorable. If we haven't named her already I would have named her "Willa" a girl version of "Wilbur" from Charlotte's Web because of her squeal-like grunts. I hope this is normal?? She is also gaining plenty of weight. She was born 7lb 4oz and is now 8lb 3oz, our pediatrician couldn't believe it. To put in perspective, Allie-Ann weighed 8lb 1oz and by her 2 week check up was 8lb 6oz, well Belle was 8lb 3oz at her 2 week check-up. So we might have a little chunky baby in our future which I think is absolutely adorable. I love seeing baby fat rolls....I just LOVE it! So even with the lack of sleep, we are all doing well and are managing better with each day.

Here is Allie-Ann taking down her mommy's blueberry cobbler. Don't make fun of her State Farm bib, that bib has been the best....I almost want to go back and see if they can give me a supply of bibs.

Our creative inside fun....the things you can make with a brown paper bag. This is Allie-Ann as a robot but the cutest thing is how she would talk like a robot in short choppy sentences. Still wearing diapers of course...ha. 

"H-E-L-L-O...M-O-M-M-Y!!!"

Rusty spending some quality time with Belle...he is so protective of the girls.

My Attempt at Photography

I had a mini-photography session with Belle this morning. I have realized that maybe photography is not in the cards for me. I remember taking a black/white photography class in college and absolutely LOVED it. I found being in a dark room developing my own pictures very relaxing. I could spend hours in there but now with digital it so much easier and you get the instant gratification if you took a good picture or not. It also doesn't hurt that you can take many, many pictures and finally get about 1 or 2 good shots, or at least in my case. It was fun working with Belle this morning, she is quite the model!

Allie-Ann reading to Belle!!

So....Kyle snapped this picture last night...I was a little tired and I guess so was Belle!!

First Bath for Belle!

We gave Belle her first bath tonight. She was a champ through the whole experience, I know I have said this before but she really is such a good baby. She hardly ever cries....okay, so she cries mainly at 3:30 in the morning but that's okay. She is so laid back and calm (I know she didn't get this from me). I always wanted a baby that would have Kyle's disposition and I believe I have her in Belle. Woot woot. Not that Allie-Ann and mommy have bad dispositions but we are both strong-willed and know what we want. Allie-Ann is her mommy through and through. Kyle is so mellow and he calms me and just from what I've seen of Belle, I believe she is the same.

On another note...I'm at my wits end with potty training Allie-Ann. I'm at the point of putting an ad in the paper for someone that I can pay to train her. I wonder why they haven't created a business in this. Just think about it...you hire someone that is really good at this potty training thing to come to your house for the weekend to train your toddler while you take a mini-vaca and then come back and she is fully trained...what a dream!!! I mean I have dreams about this..ha, ha. We have tried just about everything and I'm quickly tiring of having to clean up accidents everyday. Part of me just wants to give up and just have her in diapers and if she doesn't use the potty till high school, so be it. But then just having to change her diaper, along with a newborn is crazy. She is so BIG compared to little Belle and I just keep thinking..I shouldn't be changing her diaper. Allie-Ann understands what she is supposed to do but she just doesn't have control over her bladder yet I suppose. So we are just going to continue to take it one day at a time.

Okay...so I'm having a bad hair day...still haven't really put on any makeup but I'm a mommy and that's that.

All clean and ready for bed!!

Cupcakes....

Allie-Ann and I made cupcakes the other day in honor of Belle's belated birthday. Allie-Ann thought it was a "wonderful idea" to make cupcakes and since it's been so stinkin' hot, what a better way to spend time indoors. Allie-Ann is becoming quite the baker, she handles the beaters like a pro.....only a few splats on the walls. But what I like the best is when we put the cupcakes in the oven and she says, "Turn the light on mommy, turn the light on!!" She sits there and watches the cupcakes bake in the oven. Then her next favorite part is licking the icing off the spoon while I finish covering the cupcakes. So I had to post a picture of her enjoying her cupcake. I still haven't been able to teach her how to eat a cupcake in several bites as opposed to one huge bite. She loves her sugar just as much as mommy. As for Belle, I don't think she is into sugar based on the many diapers we had to change last night from mommy eating a couple cupcakes. I've always heard of projectile vomiting but I've never experienced it on the other end as we did last night. So unfortunately, I may have to cut junk food out of my diet for a while. Oops.

Baby Belle..she is the most alert thing...she searches and looks at things already and is awake most of the day. 

Allie-Ann enjoying her cupcake!!!

Each time I put a blanket on the floor for Belle, Allie-Ann wants one too. It's too sweet...but I think she is wondering when her sister will be able to play with her.

Here is my grandfather holding his 8th great grand baby. He just turned 90 and is smart as a whip. He just showed up at our house to see baby Belle. I hope I can still see and be able to drive and be independent if I make it to 90 years.

Adjusting...

So here's the deal....
Belle has been the BEST baby, fingers crossed.  She has already figured our her days and nights. She is awake most periods of the day and then about 8:00pm after her feeding she is knocked out. But still wakes every 2/3 hours for feedings, which has been awesome. I just don't know if this pattern will last but I sure hope so. She is so adorable and I love just watching her. She can curl up into this little ball while in her infant seat. Her legs will stretch out but then like a bungee cord will curl back up, it's too funny. Belle loves to be held and rocked but is also content just lying on the floor. She has just been a dream! Allie-Ann is adjusting but is taking it a little harder. She loves her baby sister and will say, "I want to hold MY baby, mommy!" But she is also showing some signs of not liking the baby being around mommy so much, to which I know is normal but it's hard to see her upset at times and acting out. Also, I thought I was a super organized person, but wow....add another baby into the equation and I'm a disorganized mess. We took a mini-trip the other day just to get out of the house and I couldn't believe what a challenge it was to get both girls ready. I anticipate being late all the time now. Here are some pictures I've taken the last couple of days. 

Uncle John holding Belle

Cousin Margo with Belle

I thought this was a cute picture especially with Belle looking at her big sister!

There she is curled up in a ball

Allie-Ann spending time with her baby sister

It doesn't get any sweeter than this...

New Camera!

We got a new camera, here is some of the pictures we have taken. Thanks Kampa and Grammyma!

Our Belle!!

Here is Allie-Ann playing in her toy bucket!