Both girls love splashing in the bath tub, and Lily especially loves it when Ainsley makes big splashes! Lily watches everything Ainsley does, at all times, and thinks most of what she does is hilarious.
Daddy ended up pretty wet last night after bath time, but the girls had lots of fun!
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Monday, January 20, 2014
9 months
Lily was 9 months old on the 18th. She's changing every day and is a crawling champ!
I took her to the doctor this morning for her 9 month wellness check and she was 25 pounds and 18 1/2 inches long. She's off the charts for weight (it looked like she was around 105th percentile on the graph) and is a little above the 50th percentile for both length and head. The doctor said she's perfect, and it felt so good to be able to check off "yes" and "sometimes" instead of "no" on the checklist at the beginning of the appointment. At Ainsley's 9 month check up, I had to check mostly "no" on the checklist of things she could do. Lily is definitely doing things sooner than Ainsley did.
She still loves her big sister and Mommy is her favorite. She's changing every day and is crawling and getting into everything! We have to keep the doors closed in the hallway. Otherwise, she's in every room. She's pulled up a few times, but she's not doing it all the time.
Anything she shouldn't have is a favorite toy, and she still loves to grab a handful of Ainsley's hair if she gets close enough.
I've been working on clapping and "so big" with her and she finally did it the other night.
Her hair is staying dark with a (very) reddish tint and her eyes are almost hazel, but it seems like they change color with what she's wearing. She's in 18-24 month clothes and size 4 diapers. She has one tooth on the bottom, and is working on the other middle bottom tooth. I can see the top "fang" teeth starting to come through also. She can be very fussy at times, but I think I would be also if I was teething.
Lily loves her food, and we've started phasing out the baby food. She hasn't eating baby food very good for awhile now, so we're working more on table foods now. I think carrots have been her favorite so far. She's had: toast (cut into 1/4's), peas, carrots, sweet potatoes, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes and gravy, bread, shredded chicken, banana, mandarin oranges and of course puffs and yogurt bites! I think we're going to give ravioli a try this week!
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| Ainsley wanted a picture with her sister! |
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| Avocado face! She loves it! |
Her hair is staying dark with a (very) reddish tint and her eyes are almost hazel, but it seems like they change color with what she's wearing. She's in 18-24 month clothes and size 4 diapers. She has one tooth on the bottom, and is working on the other middle bottom tooth. I can see the top "fang" teeth starting to come through also. She can be very fussy at times, but I think I would be also if I was teething.
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| See that little "pin hole" on her ear? I have the EXACT same thing on the SAME ear. Genetics???? |
Sunday, January 19, 2014
New truck!
Joel has been wanting/needing a new truck for a few years now, but as with everything else, he didn't get in a hurry to look for one. He knew what he was wanting, and I didn't complain that he wasn't looking. It was his own fault that he was still driving around in a 2 wheel drive extended cab truck with two girls. Not my fault!
So, this winter he finally started looking and found one. We picked it up last week, and I'm happy to say we now have a 4 wheel drive, crew cab pickup. It's going to make getting around so much easier in the snow and the extra space in the back is wonderful for the girls. There's so much more room in it than in his old truck. Joel likes the other things that he really "needed" about the truck. Crew cab and 4 wheel drive is about as far as I go, and that's all I cared about. All the other stuff that the truck has that he needed is beyond me. Ha!
I have to admit that I enjoyed going in and negotiating the price. I'm sure the salesman didn't feel the same. The poor guy had no idea what he was getting into with me! As with anything in life, I learned a few new things while purchasing this truck. One thing that may help other people out when buying a vehicle is knowing that you can ask for a lower interest rate. I had called our bank a few days before going to the dealership to find out the interest rates, so I had an idea on where we should be. When we went into the business office at the dealership to sign the paperwork, the guy brought up the loan information and didn't say one word about our interest rate. He just told us where to sign and how much the monthly payments would be. Once I asked him what the interest rate on the loan was, he told me it was 3.99%. What?! I told him that we weren't signing on that and I could go somewhere else to get a lower interest rate. He quickly looked in some book and came back and asked if 2.64% would work for us, and since our credit check came back so quickly, he was sure we had excellent credit. I told him that would be fine, especially since the rate I was quoted would have been 2.99%. I also know that we'll never go back to that dealership to purchase another vehicle, but we got a pretty good deal on the truck. There was a few things that I wasn't happy with, and I'm glad we don't have to look for another truck for a few years!
We bought the truck on a Saturday evening and went back to the dealership on Monday to pick it up. The salesman started the truck for us, and was getting ready to switch the plates when Joel tried to open the door. It was locked! Both sets of keys were in the truck and it was running! Just our luck. He was able to get the truck door unlocked and we got out of there as fast as we could!
So, this winter he finally started looking and found one. We picked it up last week, and I'm happy to say we now have a 4 wheel drive, crew cab pickup. It's going to make getting around so much easier in the snow and the extra space in the back is wonderful for the girls. There's so much more room in it than in his old truck. Joel likes the other things that he really "needed" about the truck. Crew cab and 4 wheel drive is about as far as I go, and that's all I cared about. All the other stuff that the truck has that he needed is beyond me. Ha!
I have to admit that I enjoyed going in and negotiating the price. I'm sure the salesman didn't feel the same. The poor guy had no idea what he was getting into with me! As with anything in life, I learned a few new things while purchasing this truck. One thing that may help other people out when buying a vehicle is knowing that you can ask for a lower interest rate. I had called our bank a few days before going to the dealership to find out the interest rates, so I had an idea on where we should be. When we went into the business office at the dealership to sign the paperwork, the guy brought up the loan information and didn't say one word about our interest rate. He just told us where to sign and how much the monthly payments would be. Once I asked him what the interest rate on the loan was, he told me it was 3.99%. What?! I told him that we weren't signing on that and I could go somewhere else to get a lower interest rate. He quickly looked in some book and came back and asked if 2.64% would work for us, and since our credit check came back so quickly, he was sure we had excellent credit. I told him that would be fine, especially since the rate I was quoted would have been 2.99%. I also know that we'll never go back to that dealership to purchase another vehicle, but we got a pretty good deal on the truck. There was a few things that I wasn't happy with, and I'm glad we don't have to look for another truck for a few years!
We bought the truck on a Saturday evening and went back to the dealership on Monday to pick it up. The salesman started the truck for us, and was getting ready to switch the plates when Joel tried to open the door. It was locked! Both sets of keys were in the truck and it was running! Just our luck. He was able to get the truck door unlocked and we got out of there as fast as we could!
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| Trying to unlock the truck! |
Lazy days
Since we're stuck inside this winter, we've been having fun playing with toys, baking, painting, and reading. Ainsley asks about every day if she can go outside. Joel and Ainsley started watching a couple of squirrels in our backyard about a month ago. Ainsley would get her binoculars out and look for the squirrels. Joel surprised Ainsley one afternoon by bringing home a squirrel feeder and corn for the backyard. Ainsley was excited to go out with Daddy to help him hang it. She didn't mind that it was only 25 degrees that day.
I really think I could sit and watch the girls play together (as long as they were playing nicely) all day. Ainsley's pretty good with Lily most of the time and likes to pat her on the head and tell Lily when she did something good/right. Of course, Lily thinks Ainsley's the best thing ever, so she likes any attention Ainsley gives her. Here's a video of Lily attacking Ainsley in her crib!
Both girls love to help me with whatever I may be doing. As soon as I get on the floor, I'm immediately bombarded by both of them.
Ainsley is constantly asking to go "bye-bye" and "shopping". I needed to run to Springfield for a few things last weekend, so I took Ainsley with me. She wouldn't leave the house without her purse and had to put her phone in it. She thought she was big stuff carrying her purse around. We emptied piggy banks and took Christmas money to the bank one day, and Ainsley had to pack a purse for her and Lily. It was cute!
Both girls are so much fun right now. I know I've said it a million times before, but can they stay this age forever???
Thomas and Jamie were home this weekend, and we were able to see them Saturday afternoon. Of course, Lily tried attacking Hudson. She just wanted his ears! Thankfully, Hudson didn't mind that Lily was trying to eat/wrestle him.
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| She's such a good helper |
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| A little "redneck sledding" in a plastic pool |
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| Ainsley's been showing Lily how to crawl for a few months now. Lily follows Ainsley everywhere! |
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| Lily LOVES the Mickey car! |
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| Ainsley had to take some pictures of Lily after I was done. I swear Lily smiles and looks at the camera way better for Ainsley than she does for me! |
Both girls love to help me with whatever I may be doing. As soon as I get on the floor, I'm immediately bombarded by both of them.
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| Love Lily's face! |
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| Wrapping presents is soooo much easier without two kids |
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| Stuffing her purse with suckers after emptying the money out |
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| No, Mommy....I didn't eat any chocolate doughnuts! |
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| She begged me to play hopscotch one afternoon, so we rearranged and made one for her. |
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| She was one happy girl! |
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| Do I have something on my nose??? I wonder if I could get it in my mouth... |
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| Ainsley had some major static going on at Papa Bill's after playing in the ball pit! |
Wednesday, January 8, 2014
Awwww, pickles!
I would love to know where Ainsley comes up with some of the things she says.
One of her newest expressions is: "awwwww pickles!" Joel and I have no clue where it came from. If I tell her she can't have m&m's because we're going to eat supper soon, she'll reply with: "awwwww, pickles!" If I tell her we can only read 2 books before bed instead of 3, she'll reply with: "awwwww, pickles!" Seriously?! Where did she get it from???
This morning, I was putting on clothes before taking Ainsley to her music class. I put on a pair of jeans with a sweater, and thought I'd try on some leggings instead of the jeans. Of course, Ainsley had to question why I was putting on different pants, and I told her so I would match her. She was wearing a pair of leggings. I put the leggings on, and decided I was going to wear the jeans instead. As I'm taking the leggings off, Ainsley starts with her questions again and wanted to know why I wasn't wearing them. I just rattled off that they were too small (that really wasn't the case, but I figured it'd answer the question for her). I put the leggings on the bed and Ainsley asked: "They're too wittle, Mommy?" I told her that yes, they were too little. The next question that came out of her mouth totally caught me off guard.
Ainsley asked: "Are they Jamie's?" I had to ask her to repeat herself twice to make sure I heard her correctly, and then I asked her: "Did you say: Are they Jamie's?" She replied with: "Yup."
I about died! I don't think I've ever worn anything of Jamie's, and how does my child know that Jamie is smaller than me??? Why in the world would she relate my leggings that were "too small" back to Jamie? I just started cracking up at her! She completely catches us off guard sometimes.
On a positive note, I did go to Maurice's on Saturday to buy new jeans. I don't know how, but I'm down another size. All my jeans have started falling off of me. I'm in no way watching what I eat or working out, but I hope whatever I'm doing continues! Maybe one of these days I'll be the same size as Jamie and Ainsley won't be able to relate Jamie as being smaller than Mommy. HA! I can guarantee that will never happen, but hopefully my daughter doesn't bring it up again.
One of her newest expressions is: "awwwww pickles!" Joel and I have no clue where it came from. If I tell her she can't have m&m's because we're going to eat supper soon, she'll reply with: "awwwww, pickles!" If I tell her we can only read 2 books before bed instead of 3, she'll reply with: "awwwww, pickles!" Seriously?! Where did she get it from???
This morning, I was putting on clothes before taking Ainsley to her music class. I put on a pair of jeans with a sweater, and thought I'd try on some leggings instead of the jeans. Of course, Ainsley had to question why I was putting on different pants, and I told her so I would match her. She was wearing a pair of leggings. I put the leggings on, and decided I was going to wear the jeans instead. As I'm taking the leggings off, Ainsley starts with her questions again and wanted to know why I wasn't wearing them. I just rattled off that they were too small (that really wasn't the case, but I figured it'd answer the question for her). I put the leggings on the bed and Ainsley asked: "They're too wittle, Mommy?" I told her that yes, they were too little. The next question that came out of her mouth totally caught me off guard.
Ainsley asked: "Are they Jamie's?" I had to ask her to repeat herself twice to make sure I heard her correctly, and then I asked her: "Did you say: Are they Jamie's?" She replied with: "Yup."
I about died! I don't think I've ever worn anything of Jamie's, and how does my child know that Jamie is smaller than me??? Why in the world would she relate my leggings that were "too small" back to Jamie? I just started cracking up at her! She completely catches us off guard sometimes.
On a positive note, I did go to Maurice's on Saturday to buy new jeans. I don't know how, but I'm down another size. All my jeans have started falling off of me. I'm in no way watching what I eat or working out, but I hope whatever I'm doing continues! Maybe one of these days I'll be the same size as Jamie and Ainsley won't be able to relate Jamie as being smaller than Mommy. HA! I can guarantee that will never happen, but hopefully my daughter doesn't bring it up again.
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
Cheeser
I'm so happy to say that Ainsley has finally started smiling and looking at the camera when I try to take her picture. Now, it's only happened a few times over the last few weeks, but we're making progress. She's such a little diva and has always refused to even look at the camera when someone pulls it out.
I told her the other day that we needed to take her picture for her birthday party invitations, and after a quick meltdown, she decided to let me snap a few pictures!
I'm hoping she keeps this new attitude toward cameras/pictures and will cooperate for us when we go to get her 3 year pictures taken in a few weeks.
I told her the other day that we needed to take her picture for her birthday party invitations, and after a quick meltdown, she decided to let me snap a few pictures!
Baby Holden
Holden arrived a few days before Christmas, but because of Christmas and all of us being sick, we weren't able to get over to visit and see him. We finally managed to get over to Lou and Alaina's on Saturday before the snow hit. It's crazy to think that just 8 months ago Lily was the size of a newborn. You quickly forget how little newborns are! I didn't get any pictures of Holden on Saturday, but Alaina sent me this picture today.
Ainsley couldn't wait to go over to Hadlee's house and play. She talked about it all day and couldn't wait to go see her "friend". The girls play really well together, and they only had a small fight over some grapes!
I explained to Ainsley before we left that we were also going to see Hadlee's little brother, which led to explaining that a brother is a boy. Ainsley's been very interested in telling me who is a boy and who is a girl. She knows that she's a girl and Lily and I am too. She also knows that Joel is a boy, although she sings a song that goes: "Daddy, Daddy, she's my girl." She'll figure it all out eventually!
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| Isn't he cute??? He looks like his sister! |
I explained to Ainsley before we left that we were also going to see Hadlee's little brother, which led to explaining that a brother is a boy. Ainsley's been very interested in telling me who is a boy and who is a girl. She knows that she's a girl and Lily and I am too. She also knows that Joel is a boy, although she sings a song that goes: "Daddy, Daddy, she's my girl." She'll figure it all out eventually!
New Toys
Christmas brought all kinds of new toys and books for the girls, and it's certainly kept them busy trying them all out!
Ainsley's still obsessed with birthdays, and asks if it's her birthday multiple times a day. Aunt Bessie got her a birthday cake with candles for Christmas and she loves putting them on the cake and blowing them out! I don't know what we're going to do after her birthday this year and she starts asking when her next birthday is. She's already been asking about her birthday for the last 5 or 6 months!
I think Ainsley's favorite Christmas present has been her microphone. We just laugh at her, and wonder where in the world she picked up some of her mannerisms. The way she holds the microphone and stand, dances, and bows and says "thank you" make us crack up. Where does she get this stuff?!?! Here's Ainsley's rendition of the Itsy Bitsy Spider and Jingle Bells before we put batteries in the microphone. We finally got some batteries in the microphone and now she sings in it all the time! Here's some more of Ainsley singing. Pay close attention, and you'll hear her say "Thank you" and bow at the end.
The playhouse has been a hit, and Ainsley likes talking people into going in with her. Daddy was persuaded to get in, but I think it was only because he could still watch the Packers game out the window!
I'm so glad Lily is laid back, because she makes up for Ainsley. Ainsley thinks she has to have every toy and if Lily has one, then it quickly becomes Ainsley's. Thankfully, Lily usually goes with the flow and lets her sister have it and finds something else. I know this isn't going to last long, and I dread the day when Lily starts actually fighting back. She's even laid back when it comes to her food. Ainsley decided she likes peas (again) after Lily started eating them. I'm hoping this continues as we introduce new foods to Lily, and Ainsley decides she likes more things!
The girls do have their moments when they play good together. I wish it happened more often, but I'll take the few times it does happen without any crying!
We've had quite a few lazy days lately, and I've even been able to lay down with the girls a couple of times for a nap!
Ainsley loves helping me clean, and as soon as she sees me with the broom or mop, she has to grab hers. Of course, it takes me twice as long once she starts "helping", but she has fun doing it.
I hope I don't jinx us by saying this, but the girls have been sleeping so good. I just asked Joel yesterday if he thinks it's the weather, or if they're growing/don't feel good. They've both been sleeping until after 7 in the mornings (with a few exceptions). I could get used to it, that's for sure! Lily's been sleeping longer than Ainsley, and as soon as Ainsley hears Lily wake up in the morning, she has to be the first one in Lily's room to say "Good Morning, Lily!" Of course, Lily gets so excited and starts kicking her feet as soon as she sees Ainsley. I'm just wondering how much longer it's going to be before both girls are in the same bed.
These lazy winter days have been nice to slow down a little and relax. We're all happy to have Joel home with us, too. It really makes a difference having him home to help with the girls.
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| Aunt Kathleen got the girls Minnie shirts for Christmas and Ainsley loves the tail on hers! |
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| She still loves guacamole! Lily likes it too! |
We've had quite a few lazy days lately, and I've even been able to lay down with the girls a couple of times for a nap!
I hope I don't jinx us by saying this, but the girls have been sleeping so good. I just asked Joel yesterday if he thinks it's the weather, or if they're growing/don't feel good. They've both been sleeping until after 7 in the mornings (with a few exceptions). I could get used to it, that's for sure! Lily's been sleeping longer than Ainsley, and as soon as Ainsley hears Lily wake up in the morning, she has to be the first one in Lily's room to say "Good Morning, Lily!" Of course, Lily gets so excited and starts kicking her feet as soon as she sees Ainsley. I'm just wondering how much longer it's going to be before both girls are in the same bed.
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