Playtime Favs

I have the funnest playmates ever.  I'm convinced.

Yesterday, Reilly asked me to paint her nails gray.  Not pink.  Not purple.  Gray. I love her.

She loves:  princesses of all kinds, specifically her teeny tiny ones that she loves to sleep with,  stuffed animals (Ellie, Pally, Ani, Bubblegum), any dolls, anything that Mommy's (specifically makeup), hairbrushes, Sofia the First, any and all books, signing the alphabet, writing in her dry erase princess books, coloring, her "Smencil" (smelly pencil), all of her Ariel's, building with her wooden blocks, puzzles, when her sister follows her around, FaceTime, dressing up in anything, baking, singing and dancing, bubbles, swings and slides, and anything outside.

And she loves: Following her sister around, being tickled, standing and climbing like a big girl, any and all of Reilly's toys, her little princesses, holding the teeny wooden blocks in her teeny little hands, sitting in her new big girl chair, anything that lights up and sings to her, playing "rolly polly ball" with Reilly, FaceTime with our New York family (seriously LOVES it), bathtime, being in any water, being outside and on the swings, bubbles, and when Daddy comes home.

Today in the car, the first few bars of Taylor Swift's "Trouble" came on.  Reilly immediately yelled, "Mommy this is Taylor SWIFF!"  Sometimes, I think she'll be cooler than me by the time she is 4.  :)

Sa-pring?

This is how Reilly says "Spring".  We are working on our "sp" blends, and reciting poems like "In the Spring we sweep our spooky cobwebs".  Against my will, she learned how to carry this knowledge over to say "sa-poon" as well.  I loved "foon".  I was completely okay with her saying foon until at least 4 years old.  Sigh.  Sa-poon it is.

But feshial?  I'm holding on to that one.  When she starts saying "sa-pecial", I cry.  Real tears people.

Anywho, today we are talking to Spring.  Wondering where it is.  We miss you!  We love you!  Come visit us here in the mountains!  We do not like bundling.  We do not like shivering.  We do not like these blankets that winter keeps covering us with!  Just letting you know, you are welcome here.

 However, if winter is sticking around against EVERYONE'S wishes, (I mean really, Winter, no one wants you here anymore. Go to the North Pole with Santa until preferably January) I am at least grateful for the memories we have made.  We have been having some fun in the March-storms, unwelcome as they are, because we have chillens and they make everything fun.  We made hot chocolate and watched Christmas movies and enjoyed are day off with Daddy.  :)

(Hi house! Love you! You look pretty in the snow.)

 Precious snow bunnies.

I will never forget these two making their snow man.  It was hilarious. I mean, first of all, look at my husband's outfit.  This is what you wear apparently when it snows in the spring?  Shorts and workboots and no jacket.  And a Boston hat.  Always a Boston hat.  Reagan and I were talking to them through the window.  Reilly LOVED that guy.  She named him Frosty, and started at him through the window saying, "Please don't melt Frosty." 

 But then we told her that when Frosty melts, he really just goes to the North Pole to live with his friends, Santa and Elfie, our Elf on the Shelf.

 To which she replied, "And Karen?"

Karen, we found out, is the little girl in Frosty the Snowman.  The movie we watched ONCE in December.  And, she reminded us, Karen wears a pretty headband. Kid freaks me out daily.

 

In conclusion, Dear Winter:

We will have fun, despite how awful you are.  But seriously, get out.  Mama needs to go to the park.

Love, Us

Toddler Overnight

My little Reagan Kate is growing right before our eyes!  Not physically so much, she's still a little peanut brittle.  But in her actions, behaviors, and curiosity - it's like she became a toddler in one night.  It's seriously hilarious.

For example, right now, she is slamming her rocking chair into the heater and laughing hysterically at the noise she is making.  I mean, how funny is she?

Here are a few more of her very recent discoveries/toddler changes:

1. She now finds it amusing to throw her plate and/or fork.  She doesn't do it all the time, but when she does, she laughs HYSTERICALLY.

2. She is on her knees ALL the time.  Constantly climbing, moving, trying to get up on things.  She even pulled herself up to STAND!!  Just once, but this is huge people. We do not make very physically motivated babies, so this accomplishment at 12 months is major! :)



^ Confession:  I put her here, she didn't pull herself up.  I did it to make Daddy laugh. :)  But she held on!

3. She imitates her sister as much as she can, which has been happening since birth, but now it's like they converse.  It's crazy.

4. Due to all the climbing, she is falling an awful lot more!  I'll hear her crying, and turn around to see her lying flat on her back like a little turtle.  I'll know right away that she just got scared, from taking a risk and taking a spill.  She has her little "wahhh-mommy-pick-me-up" cry, which I know means she isn't hurt, just scared.

5.  She has been a little sicky lately, which I feel like is a toddler trait. Picking up anything anyone within a 7 mile radius might be suffering from.  Poor little thing.  But the fever was the worst, everything else she has taken in stride and been a little happy bean, thank goodness.

6. She crawls over to the door and peels off my stickies.  She goes in to cabinets and empties them of their contents.  She climbs over and through the chairs to reach a Cheerio.  She climbs up my body, as if she is trying to climb on my shoulders. Move, move, move!

7. She thinks things like wires and outlets are awesome, and all of the other fascinatingly dangerous household items.

8. She sleeps 4 hours during the day in naps, despite her 12 hours at night.  Oh wait.  That's a newborn behavior. :)

9. She climbs on the fireplace hearth.  She does it  very slowly, so I'm able to stop her.  And it's never when the fire is going.  But nonetheless, what a little crazy bean!

10. She suddenly pulls bows out of her hair for sport.  This is a really fun phase that all babygirls go through I think.  It's the first "beauty is pain" lesson I teach my girls.  I know this thing on your head is annoying, but you look gosh-darn precious, so we have to endure it.  One day you will understand. And don't worry, you have lots of beauty suffering ahead of you - namely hair removal. 

^ (that's a bow in her hand)

 11. She kind of-a little bit-somewhat wants to take steps?  Holding onto Daddy's hands, and only when extremely encouraged. :)

 

 ^ Like, seriously?  I'm obsessed.

 And then...this happened...

 I walked into the kitchen to fill up everyone's water bottles, and came back into our Sesame Street morning viewing party.  And I saw this.  Reilly imitated me many time running into the living room shouting "OHMYGOODESS-OHMYGOODNESS-OHMYGOODNESS!"  But really, I flipped!  I'm not very good with the whole "let them get some bumps and bruises" thing.  I'm a coddler. A cuddler. A snuggler.  This one better calm herself, or learn to walk so Mama isn't so nervous!

(Also, notice our awesome couches...that's due to a vomiting incident that led to our whole couch going to the dry cleaners.  Winter is awesome.  Yes, I blame winter for my couch stains.  And sicknesses.  And everything negative.  Let's go Spring, we're ready!)

Woo hoo!  We have 2 toddlers! Even though Reagan is obviously still an infant, masking herself as a toddler just for fun. Over and out.

Biffles

Watching these two together just makes my day. 

[This is how Reagan gives kisses!]

I could just eat them up, these little biffles. 

Fun Fact: Half the time Reagan is crying, Reilly sings a song she made up. (Baby Reagan, don't cry, Baby Reagan, don't cry.)  The other half of the time, she says, "No, no, Reagan, it's MY turn to cry."

Sisterhood is an amazing this to watch grow.

Talking to Her

My favorite favorite favorite thing these days, is listening to this one tell me stories.  Anything.  Literally anything and everything she says or talks about, is hilarious and amazing to me. The way she tells stories is so funny and entertaining, I could listen to her talk all day.

Okay, I DO listen to her talk all day.

 :)

Here she was talking to me, and I was snapping because I am in love with her serious "story-telling" faces.

This was midday, not even close to naptime.

"Mommy, look at us! Ariel and I are pretending to be sleeping outside!  We are outside, not inside, and we are having a SLEEPOVER!"

 "And guess what?  After our sleepover, she is going to call her best friend Cinderella to come over and play!"

 "Okay, g'night!  You can leave the door open, because we're just pretending."

I mean, okay.  I'm in love with talking to you.

Our Park

Fun Fact: Mommy LOVES the park.  Like, maybe more than the kiddos.  I have the parks in my town/surrounding towns ranked according to a few different things: fun activities (a park without swings? Really?), cleanliness, how crowded it is, and how creepy the people are that frequent the park.  (One park by us has approximately 13 parents ALL smoking while they play with their kids.  I mean, if you want to smoke, that's fine...just don't do it on my kids.  The park was literally hazy.)

So you can imagine my excitement when we moved to our new community, and we have OUR OWN PARK.  Not only is it our own private park, but it. is. perfect.

Observe:

 Can  we JUST take a moment to talk about Reagan's hair.  I mean, really.  It's almost not normal how cute it is.

 Our park is right on a LAKE!  (And an outdoor pool. And a Beach House restaurant. More on that in the summah-time. ;) )

 Joy.

 Daddy teaching Reilly on the big girl swing!

 And then all the girls went down the slide holding hands!

 Teasing ;)

 Baby + Daddy.  Nothing sweeter.

This park is sure to provide us with hours and hours of fun in the years to come.

Dear New Park,
You magically came with our house, and we didn't even see you until yesterday.  And yet, you are perfect.  You make us smile.
Love,
Us