Appreciating Today

I am in love... no not with my husband or kids (well duh... of course I love the hubs and kids) but my camera.  Don't get me wrong, my phone takes pretty great pictures and I have always been really happy with them.  That is until two days ago when I started taking pictures with my new Canon.  Hello whole new world.  I don't even know how to use it yet, just have it set to automatic... and the pictures are still crazy awesome.  That is all I have to say today... the rest will be stated with the hundreds of pictures I took in a twenty four hour period of our regular day.  Hold on to your pants people. That face!  Stop taking pictures crazy lady! Teaching her early Loving her new hide and seek sunshine game Umm… appropriate to let your daughter pump at 2?  I think so.

We have kissed the paci good-bye.   It has been my nemesis for a month or so now.   Lana would go right to sleep with it in her mouth, but it would fall out at some point and then she would wake up… needing good ol’ mommy to reinsert.   I haven’t had a good nights sleep in some time now so the decision was made… it was either me or the pacifier.  Guess who won?   Surprisingly (knocking on wood as it has only been a few days) she gave it up without much of a fight.   She is such a little love bug and just cuddles right up to her Sally/Sammy (can't decide if I should keep the same name as Kaelyn's seahorse or change it to a boy because it's blue/teal) and dozes off.   I’m waiting for her little teeth to come popping though… I know they are there; by the way she chomps on my hand and certain other body parts when nursing.   Ouch.   I swear girl thinks her tongue is the tastiest thing in town… she chews on it all the time like it's...

I have tried to sit down about three times today to bang this post out… and have gotten distracted everytime.  I shouldn’t phrase it that way…. this is a dedication to my  baby daddy and he deserves a well thought out speech but I have a baby screaming at me… in the cutest, happiest manner possible and have also been awake since 4:30 am with this little cutie pie so I am gonna do my best. But first things first… a very happy Father’s Day to my own father.   I have many fond memories of my childhood that involve my old man and am lucky that now my girls get to make their own memories with their Grandpa.  We love you! We were also lucky to have Poppy and CeCe visit last weekend.  The girls had so much fun as did we.  I think someone needs to get a beach house in Indian Harbour… hint, hint, hint! Now back to that man who I am lucky to call the father of my children.  We have been busy today… brunch, beach, and playing with the littl...

Kaelyn is chatting it up these days.   Most of what she says is understandable, some of what she says is not. The clearest word of her vocabulary, and I am pretty sure her favorite, is “No.”  It must fly out of her mouth a hundred times a day.  Kaelyn, do you want toast for breakfast… “No.”  Kaleyn, lets go get dressed… “No.”  It’s time for a bath… “No.”  Naptime.. “No.”  You get the picture.  Clearly we are part to blame as she had to learn it somewhere.  Now the challenge is how the heck to get her to stop.  I’m making a huge effort to phrase things differently when I do not want her to do something… trying to avoid “No” as much as possible.  Luckily the teacher in me is good at putting a spin on things so hopefully we can at least cut the use of "no" in half. Some of her new vocab/understandings can drive a mamma crazy… as mentioned above… but then there is the “puhhhlease,” “thank you,” “welcome,”...