the one where I am terrible with updating lately

Summer is here, my husband is home, life is good and I have been so very bad with updating my blog. Ill attempt at a weekend-ing post :)

This past weekend started off plain old terrible. I woke up at about 4am feeling super nauseous. Like "is this morning sickness" sort of nauseous. Spoiler Alert: It was not morning sickness, I am not pregnant lol. Throwing up and other sorts of terrible and disgusting body things were happening. There is nothing worse than being sick and having kids. Especially when your husband then wakes up feeling sick and all of the kids' grandparents work so there was literally no one available to help. Dan and I spent the day resting in shifts. I would nap, he would nap, I would nap, he would nap. That was pretty much our entire Friday. I was supposed to be having a joint birthday party with my friend Madelyn Saturday so Friday was supposed to be food prep day. Dan had two pork butts marinating and no way in the world was smoking that going to happen. We ended up having to cancel hosting it and I was so bummed! I love birthdays. I love June. I love day drinks. I love being outside. This party was going to be all of that and more. So really, bummed was an understatement.
I ended up going to sleep right around 8:30, after both girls were asleep for the night and Dan was shortly after.
Fast Forward to Saturday morning and both Dan and I were feeling better but still not quite right. Dan was feeling better than me at that point so he decided to smoke the pork so it didn't go to waste. I told everyone I would try to stop by the party at Chris and Madelyns if I felt up for it and around 4ish I thankfully was. Ava and I trekked over and enjoyed saying hi to everyone and I got spoiled with multiple bottles of wine, a new purse, gift card, beach towel. My friends are the best! I went home and got the girls ready for bed and then ended up going out for an hour to Tellus in downtown Lancaster. I have only been there once and it was so Hipster I could hardly stand it. I gave it a try this time and was so happy I did! They had the rooftop bar open and it was such a beautiful night. It still had a hipster feel to it but it wasn't too intense.
Sunday- We decided to invite people over for my birthday/Fathers day to make sure the pork was eaten and that we did something fun for the weekend. My mom, Mammy, Summer, Iz, Madelyn, Chris and Dave all came over and we ate pork bbq sandwiches, chips, baked mac and cheese. Lots of good stuff. The pork turned out awesome. Dan did a great job.
To my surprise that night, Dan had planned for his dad to come over and sit at the house for a couple of hours so we could go out just the two of us while the girls were sleeping. I was really excited to get out for a little and go on a date just the two of us. We went to the Bvelvedere downtown. The food and drinks were SO delicious. We really loved everything! We sat outside on their swanky little porch that had hanging plants and beautiful lights everywhere and sipped our fancy drinks and ate a late dinner and dessert. Cannot beat their grilled chicken ceasar salad. That is not an entrée to be missed.
Thank you to everyone for the calls, gifts, texts, etc for my birthday. I am so excited for another year of continued health and blessings. Life is so good.

the one where Ava is 6 months old

How did a half year pass already?! My baby. My little itty bitty baby is now 6 months old. The fact that she was born over holiday season and that shes my second, wow.. its a blur.

Ava Estelle

Six Months

 

Size:

Ava is 17 lbs 6 oz and 26 inches long. 65% for weight, 72nd for height and her head... 98th percentile. Big head just like her big sister. Tori grew into it so I'm sure Ava will have no problem lol.
 

Health:

Healthy baby girl. The only thing we have to work on health wise is more time on the floor to exercise those legs. She isnt a fan of putting weight on her legs which the Dr. was not concerned about, she said she is just a little lazy! I blame her thighs. They are no joke!

 

Feeding:

6 months EBF. I have only given her "real food" twice. Both times she had a belly ache so I stopped. The Dr. said that was normal and her belly has to get used to eating food. She said to start giving her anything she wants that isn't a choking hazard. When I had Tori they said no strawberries until age 1, now they say Ava can start them now. The Dr. also said to just jump into table food. Puree whatever we are eating and feed it to her. I made Tori's baby food so I'm on board for that.

 

Sleep:

Ava's sleep is killing me a little. She goes to bed somewhere between 7-8:30 and sleeps until 12 or 1am. Then after that she gets up about every 2 or 3 hours. The pediatrician said there is no reason at her age that she is doing that. She does not need to eat overnight. She said a baby her age can definitely sleep somewhere between 8-12 hours a night. She suggested I officially move her into her own bedroom so she cant smell me and that I let her cry it out a bit. She said about 3 nights of torture and then she should be good to go. We will see. I think I am going to wait until Dan is out of school for the year (on Tuesday).. and do a little sleep training.

 

Extras:
-She grabs at anything and everything, especially hair.
-She still smiles and laughs at everything.
-She loves bath time with her big sister.
-Loves to look at herself in the mirror.
-Loves to grab Daddys beard.
-Wearing size 6-9 months clothing.
-Can move herself around on the floor.

 

the one with Toris first year of preschool

Yesterday my sweet girl had her last day of her first year of preschool.

Starting Tori at preschool at age 2 was something I battled with in the beginning. MOST people start their child at 3 (if at all)... but there was my Tori, two years old and needing something more. So much more. Thankfully, we found that at Calvary Preschool. 

I should start with saying yes this was preschool, but lets be real- her classmates were two and three years old. It was as structured as you could expect for that age range. Starting the morning off with some play time, a couple minutes dedicated to a story.. some outdoor play... a craft.. prayer and snacktime. It was 2.5 hours, two days a week and seemed to fly by. 

There were ten students in Tori's class (including her) and two teachers. I loved that ratio. It seemed as though all of the kids got one on one attention and that was just enough hands to help the kids during crafts etc. 

Toris main teacher, Ms. Brennan is a gem. So sweet. And seriously LOVES her kiddos. I have never in this past year thought one time that Tori wasnt on her top priorities list. And the woman is a saint, teaching preschool kids has got to be so hard. Sometimes I lose my mind trying to do a craft with Tori and Izzy let alone add 8 more kids to that. If she was stressed out, she never showed it. She also has a really sweet and calming voice. Very approachable. 

The assistant teacher, Mrs. Davies, also- adorable. She is an older lady and always wearing a dress. Just seemed like a little grandma. She was the one who if Tori would get in trouble at home and put in time out, she would cry for Mrs. Davies. It was the sweetest. During story time, Tori and Jakin (one of her classmates) would usually have to sit with Mrs. Davies (they were two of the youngest in the class) for a little extra guidance and reminders to stay focused. Tori would sit there and I would peek in the window of the classroom and see her play with Mrs. Davies ID tag and see how sweetly Mrs. Davies would try to redirect her attention. 

It was also really fun seeing Tori develop friendships. She espeically loved this group of girls in her class, "The 3 M's".. Mia, Molly and Maddy. They would play together so sweetly and Tori especially gravitated towards Mia which I think was because she always had on the best dresses and she always brought the coolest toys from home into class and shared with Tori. I was one of three moms who had a second baby while Tori was in her preschool year which was also a fun and cute bond to see Tori make with the other kids. They liked telling each other about their baby brothers/sisters. Whenever I would pick up Tori from school, her and the other girls would YELL "BYEEEEEE" to each other. Over and over again. The entire time they could see each other while walking out to the car.

This year, Tori has learned: her ABC.s (and can recognize about a third of them), how to count to 15 (the last 5 can get messy), colors, how to put on her coat, how to put on her bookbag, how to walk in a line and follow a person in front of her, shapes, she is coloring in the lines more often. I know a lot of this is developmental that she would have learned at home too but I think for sure she learned even better in class. I am not a teacher after all. I also really liked that she learned about how she needs to listen to authority/other adults when Mom and Dad are not around and she got the chance to practice patience and taking turns. 

Overall, our year at Calvary was great. The only reason we will not be sending Tori there again next year is because the church by our house had an opening for their program next year so we will be sending Tori there. It will be so much more convenient. We do wish we could take Tori's teachers along with us on the move. I highly recommend this school to anyone looking for somewhere to send their child!

And as an end of the year gift, her teachers made us this little book including some pictures from Toris year :)

the one where I am turning 29

In just one month I will be entering the last year of my 20's. CRAZY. I have days where I still feel like I am 21. Its like I blinked and the past 8 years have flashed before my eyes. I guess that isn't so insane considering everything that has changed in my life over the last 8 years.
Just doing a little reflecting on life this past decade and WOW how much I have grown. Don't get me wrong, I still have my days where I feel like my insecure 17 year old self is taking over.. but for the most part.. I am at such a good place. Life is where I always dreamed it would be at this age. My wonderful husband, my beautiful babies, a career I love, living outside of York and really just doin' the damn thing (ok sorry my 17 year old self came back for a sec haha). I wonder what I did to really deserve to be where I am right now.. and then when I look back, I realize I really earned it. The past decade wasn't necessarily easy. There was so much growing. So much maturing. Bad times. Confusing times. Finding myself times. But it all led me to here. I am living proof that what is meant to be will be and fate does exist.
Some of the highlights of my 20's:
-Meeting Dan. Corny, I know... but I always think about how we met and how I persued him and every which direction our love went and it truly only gets better over time.
-Turning 21 (duh). Judge all you want but my gosh this made me happy. Bars. Social drinks. Dinner drinks. I loved every second of that night that lasted about an hour.
-Living with Bertha. We had so, so, so much fun! And I am SO happy I got the experience of living with girlfriends before I just moved out of my parents house and right into my married house. The nights staying up watching tv, dance parties, picnics in our living room, we shared everything. I am so grateful for those memories.
-Getting Married and our Honeymoon. We need another week at an all inclusive. There is no one I can travel with besides Dan where we can have so much fun just the two of us.
-Finding my 'thing' with work. Real estate has been so amazing. Even with the ups and downs of when you are busy or slow season.. the stress that comes along with finding your next lead, not getting paid until settlements, etc.. I will take this job for as long as it will keep me :)
-The friends I have made since Lancaster. Other than 2-3 people I have stayed close with from York, most of my friends are from my adult life. It is amazing how much a friendship truly means when these are the people you go through the TRUE trials and tribulations of life with. So grateful for my squad.
-My nieces. They mean the world to me. It has been really fun seeing them grow and watching how my brother and sister have evolved as parents.
-Going to Italy. I lived there as a child and even though Italian was my first language I lost most of it. I can understand better than I can speak. Getting to see my family over there and see how they live, and them get to meet Dan.. it was a really amazing experience.
-Victoria Luna and Ava Estelle. They are two things that remind me there really is a higher power. I was trusted to raise these girls, girls who will one day grow up to be women who can change the world. Mark my words. These girls are truly going to do something in their lives. Something I probably cant even imagine right now.
-Buying our house in Lancaster. I love this city so much. I love our home.

I am going to make year 29 the one where I let loose, get rid of some stress and anxiety and really just appreciate life in the moment.

Where I am is exactly where I am supposed to be. <3

the one where Ava is 5 months old

Ava Estelle

Five Months

 

Size:

About 16lbs. She was 15lbs 8oz at her last check up so I wouldn't be surprised if she is even over 16. She is wearing 6 month clothing comfortably.
 

Health:

Healthy, healthy, healthy girl.

 

Feeding:

5 months EBF and still not consistently taking a bottle. She is still mostly chewing on the nipple. A friend of mine is a NICU nurse in York and told me to stay consistent with using the same bottles and keep trying. One day she will just do it. So we are hoping that day comes soon. She is still nursing every 3 hours and I have not yet introduced her to any "real food". At this point for Tori, she was alrdy on oatmeal/baby cereal for about a month. Now they say not to bother with that because its empty calories. So starting this week, I am going to introduce her to sweet potatoes. I am hoping this introduction will at least stretch the feedings out to maybe 4 hours or so?

 

Sleep:

Ava's sleep is not consistent. She will have nights where she does great and gives me 6-8 hour stretches and then nights where she is up every two hours. They say that's a breastfed baby thing but I don't know? I thought I remembered Tori's sleep being more consistent at this point in her age but she was also a breastmilk baby. So who knows.

 

Extras:
-She loves to roll over.
-She smiles at everyone.
-She can now reach her piggies and loves to grab them.
-She is forward facing in her baby carrier and loves to people watch.
-She is drooling like crazy
-Her eyes are still blue
-Her hair is just long enough for a little Mohawk
-She is really good in the car
-She laughs at everything Tori does

 

the one where I am itching for summer

I like my seasons. I like how crisp and sunny the days are in Spring, the way outside smells in the fall, I like snow, I like summer. I don't love Summer. Don't kill me. I just hate getting too hot. Seriously. Why does it go above 80, ever?! There is only so naked I can get and still be considered a lady. So the hot weather and the fact that I sweat like a man, not a good combo.

There are a few things that the past couple of warm days have reminded me that I am SO excited for this coming Summer..

-Day drinking with the neighbors. Don't get your panties in a bunch, I'm not talking binge drinking here people. I'm talking throwing all of our kids in one fenced in backyard, them getting dirty and playing together, all the while the parents are enjoying some music and drinks around the patio table.
-My birthday. I love how having a summer birthday leaves so many options for how to celebrate. This year, Me and Madelyn are going to celebrate together with a backyard day drinking birthday party. Complete with beer pong because when it is your last year in your 20's, you need to remember what it was like to celebrate your 21st. Minus the whole getting kicked out of the bar, rolling down a hill and being hungover for two days thing.
-Fathers Day. I love celebrating my oh-so-hardworking Daddy and also, Dan- who is literally the best dad ever. Side note: It is so special seeing Dan's relationship with the girls. Tori just worships him and I am excited for a day full of celebrating Daddy.
-The beach. We are going for the first time ever not only with friends this year, but my brother, SIL and niece are coming too. Tori and Izzy love and hate each other almost equally (lol) so it is going to be so fun seeing what a week together does to them. And us lol.
-The 4th of July. Easily one of my favorite holidays. I love to dress Tori and I up in theme and this year we get to add Ava to the madness of red white and blue everything so I am excited. Our neighbors throw a huge 4th of July party complete with TONS of kids, lots of food and enough beer to last the summer.
-Nissleys Concerts in the park. We have only been twice but both times were awesome. Wine, live music, food, it really is such a fun time.
-The fact that Ava will be in my favorite baby age range. Where they are happy, rolling, crawling, sucking on their baby piggies. So cute. So fun.
-Pedicures. Summer = no excuse for bad toes.
-Days at Dutch Wonderland. I alrdy have a plan.. be there by open, stay until lunch and then maybe eat and go home or go right home and eat and hopefully the kids will be worn out enough for naps. We have many friends who got season passes this year so we are excited!
-Erica and James having their baby! (and her baby shower in the mean time)
-Dan and I's 5 year wedding anniversary. 8 years together, 5 years married, 2 kids, 2 houses. Life has been busy and has flown by in the blink of an eye. I am hoping we can do something fun to celebrate. I would love to do something overnight somewhere but Ava, my little champion at nursing, has showing almost no interest still in a bottle so we might just have to do a day trip or something where we can take the girls (or at least Ava) along.
-Dan being home all summer.
-Work getting even more busy. I hope the real estate license thing is going to happen for Dan and then we can have an awesome summer being home together and working together. The Angela Rera Real Estate Team. I like it.
-Water tables. Sprinklers. Water slides. Overall water event madness happening in our backyard.
And I will end with this:
ME GETTING A TAN! I do not care if it comes from mornings at DW with my kids. I just need some color. ASAP.

the one where girls run the world

As a mother of two daughters, I find myself trying REALLY, REALLY hard to raise these super strong women. I want them to know what they want. I want them to know they can do anything they want to do. I want them to date around. I want them to be confident. I want them to get an education. I want them to light up the room. I want them to not take shit (sorry for the language). I want them to stand up for what they believe in. I want them to be brave. I want them to try new things. I want them to experience everything.
In this moment of their lives (specifically Tori) it is hard. I'm scared I am creating a brat. Ugh, I hate to say that. I don't even know if it is the right word. She is very grateful for the things and people she has in her life. Yes, already at the age of 3 I can see that. I can see it in the way that she will say to her Mammy or Pop Pop "Thank you for coming over to play with me". So that's why I don't know if 'brat' is the right word. But the girl knows what she wants.
She might not want you to sit next to her. She might HAVE to have that specific sticker, not the other one you peeled off the sticker book. Today she wants a ponytail. No, she only liked oranges yesterday, not today. She isn't great at sharing. She yells when she gets frustrated. She huffs and puffs.
I know most of that stuff is toddler-hood. I guess I'm just nervous about how long I let it go until it turns into her personality. How do I figure out the balance between strong and stubborn? Knowing what she wants and being too picky?

My tough girl. In so many ways. She is already giving me a run for my money.

My gosh I love her.