Visit to the Dentist

Both kids had their dental visits today.  This was Xanders second time seeing a dentist, and this time they did a full clean on him.  He was such a big boy.  No screaming.  Just sat there and opened his mouth when asked.  Sterling did great as well.  They just brushed her teeth, put fluoride on, and did an overall check.  She didn't scream either.  Both kids listened, received little packs with a toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, and a token for a toy after they were finished.  How cool is that?!

They waited so patiently in the waiting room.  They were going back and forth between where I was and the play room.  

Sterling was the first to be called back, she watched Bubble Guppies while she waited for her technician to give her teeth a check-up

Xander was soon called back, but ended up waiting 5 minutes while his technician had to go help another technician tackle (maybe?) a 2 year to put sealants on his teeth, so he watched Bubble Guppies also

The doc doing her exam 

Xander's technician doing his exam.  He also had x-rays done.  Sterling will get hers done on the next visit since she has one molar still working its way out 

Both are cavity free and have nice pearly whites.  Great job loving to brush your teeth kiddos!

For their token prize, Xander choose a bouncy ball (of course!) and Sterling choose a bracelet and a hair extension clip in.  After this appointment we went to pick up groceries and Sterling broke her bracelet.  It lasted about an hour, ha!

Oh, and I still need to do a post for Sterling.  I haven't forgotten, but it's been crazy busy with homework.  It may lighten up this weekend for me to get some time to stamp the pictures.

2nd Birthday

Today we celebrated Sterling turning TWO!  She's growing up too crazy fast, right before our eyes.  She has a heart of gold and is the most loving and carrying toddler around.  She's a protector.  She favors her mama.  She's a heavy runner, ha!  She's a princess that will wake up and put her tutu on and twirl around all day.  She has her mama's personality and is usually found smiling and can get pretty loud when she talks.  She's a picky eater.  Loves shape macaroni and cheese, hot dogs, chicken nuggets, ketchup, and juice/water.  She also loves most fruit and demands to eat an apple and banana each day.  She likes cooked carrots and green beans.  She has to pick out her shoes most days, which can be a challenge because she'll look tacky with outfits that don't match, I lose that battle.  She loves to try on clothes...it's already started, AH!  She stomps her feet and throws herself to the floor when she's upset.  She cries easily and is very sensitive, just look at her the wrong way or use a different tone in your voice...hilarious!  She plays great by herself when her Bubba's not around.  She loves school and her teachers, Ms. Kelly, and Ms. Ruth, Ms. Ariel.  She loves sleep.  She's been pacifier free for a whole week before she turning TWO.  She loves being chased and loves chasing others.  She has some pretty stellar manners for a two year old!  She's a TWO year old and STILL my baby, always and forever!

I'm sure I've forgot something but my head is in a fog and I'm exhausted.

Today we had an unusually busy Monday.  Kids were up at 605!  They played with Sterling's new baby's toys.  We were out of the house at 930 to go to the gym.  Back home at 11.  Made lunch, ate, and rushed back out the door for Sterling's 2 year well baby.  After her appointment we went downtown to my brothers and let the kids play for 2 hours.  Came home, made dinner, Skyped with Opa, opened the rest of presents, sang Happy Birthday for the umpteenth time, she blew out her candle and we ate cake.  Kids in bed at 8. What a day!

Our Monday's normally consist of us staying home and me doing 7 loads of laundry.  And lately an afternoon trip outside.  That's it!  Next week, hopefully!

I'll post more pictures later, I'm ready for bed!  I think it's safe to say that she knew she turned two and that it was her Birthday today.

HAPPY 2ND BIRTHDAY BABY GIRL!  WE LOVE YOU SO VERY MUCH!

MOMMY, DADDY, BUBBA, AND HAWKEYE

Where's "Pai Pai"?

In the garbage!  "Pai Pai" was Sterling's term for her paci.  For the past 2 weeks while she's been teething and sick she's been attached to that damn thing.  Yesterday I was tired of seeing her walk around with it while we were playing outside.  I told her to take it out of her mouth.  She did.  I told her to put it in her pocket.  She didn't want to.  She held it up to her chest and covered it with both hands and said "mine".  I said if she don't put it away I was going to throw it in the garbage (I wasn't really going to, just a threat to get her to do what I wanted).  She said "okay" in her loud perky way and proceeded to go inside.  She was happy, trotting with a smile as she quickly ran to the trash to throw it away.  Does she really know what she just did?  One week before she turns two, she decides it time to part with her soothe?  Crazy girl, but so proud!

I was terrified what our night was going to look like.  She cried and screamed for 15 minutes.  I went in to calm her down by rubbing her belly for about 5 minutes.  After I left she cried for only 2 minutes and was out.  I didn't expect her to sleep all night, but she did!  She didn't wake up looking for pai pai.  I know its only day one, and it most likely going to get worse, but hopefully she'll adjust.  

As she was screaming last night, Nick wanted me to go get the emergency paci.  He said "we can just try this again when she's 8!"  He's crazy!  I didn't go get it and she slept like a champ after falling asleep.  Like my sister told me, it's harder on us parents.  So true!

Next up for this house is transferring her to a big girl bed.  I don't want to, but know it's coming.  The other day during nap time she was caught hanging on the rail screaming her head off. She's trying to get out.  Escape from the Alcatraz!  I think because she's been trying lately that we need to switch her before she actually falls.  I'd love to keep her in Alcatraz until she's too long for it, but we all know that's not going to happen.

She's going to be TWO in six days!

"I not Bubba"

For the past 4 or 5 months Sterling has been calling Xander "Bruh-ba" and that has now become "Bubba".  When we ask Sterling to get something, we usually ask and refer to Xander as Brother.  I think "Bruh-ba" was her slang for Brother.  Now it's just plain ole Bubba.  Xander hates it!  He gets so upset and is offended when he hears it.  He says "Mom, I not Bubba, I Brother"  ha!  Love him!  We laugh so hard when he corrects her.  Because really, who would care?

And because this post is for Xander, I just want to put how proud I am of him.  He's been completely potty trained for the past month and he has only had 1 accident at school (the first day we took him in real undies!) and maybe one accident a week at home!  Amazing!  He lets us know when he has to pee or poop.  He makes it to the bathroom, even though he's a last minute pee'er.  He either holds his pee through the night or gets up twice.  We have had 3 nights in the last month that he slept through the night.  I'm not complaining because I'd rather him get up to pee than use his easy up.  We still use the easy up at nighttime, but not during nap time.  The first week he started wearing undies, I told him that if he didn't nap, that was okay.  If he had to go potty while he was supposed to nap, that he needed to get up and go.  I think that has worked out because he'll now take an hour and half nap almost every day!  And he stays dry.  He has amazed me with how quickly it clicked for him.  It might be because we've been casually working on it since December, or maybe he was just ready?  Whatever the reason, we are proud!

I don't think we're going to get so lucky with Sterling.  She has a lot of interest in it, but she has only went pee and/or poop 5 times in the last month.  She's getting a package of Dora easy ups for her birthday on Monday and hopefully we can get serious with her and it will click?  I'm not holding my breathe though!  She's way more stubborn than her Bubba, ha!

Love ya "Bubba"

March: Week One

We spent the first week of March being sick.  I swear we are a rotating door when it comes to being sick.  It never seems to end and every other week we have at least one under the weather.

March 2nd:  Story time before bed with daddy and their favorite book, Max and Millie

March 5th:  We don't get this sight too often anymore so Nick found the need to take a pic.  Xander has also found interest in giving Hawkeye his cologne bath when he comes in from outside.

March 6th:  Sterling stayed home from school today.  She wasn't eating for 2 days and I decided that I needed her to have the option to eat when she wanted just to get her to eat.  So she stayed home and we ran errands.  First up was Pet Smart to look at the fish...okay, not really to look at the fish but to get some doggy supplies.  Next up was Toys R Us.  I wanted to look for Xander some birthday gifts because right now we have no idea what to get for him.  I did pick up 2 costumes for him. One a fireman and the other a construction worker.  He tries his hardest to put his sissy's tutu's on, so he needs his own dress up, boy style! After we picked up Xander from school, I had the kids color some thank you notes for their great grandma.  These kids LOVE to color. 

March 7th:  Both kids stayed home, both with diarrhea.  Perfect day for coffee and a picnic.  Cameron's Breakfast Blend is my absolute favorite coffee.  I just LOVE it!  Seriously make a special trip to a grocery store just to buy this coffee.  Because why would all the stores not carry this stuff?  I also made some Elmo cake pops.  In my typical fashion, I googled imaged cake pops and found these awesome babies and just knew I had to give it a try.  It was so easy!  We couldn't end our day without a meltdown though.  Sterling and I ran to Walgreens to get some pedicure tools.  Picked up some new nail color too and Sterling loves her fingers painted.  She keeps staring at them, lol.  Daily life rocks!

March 8th:  The calm before the storm...literally!  We enjoyed a semi lazy morning, then headed out to lunch at Texas Roadhouse, then headed to the outlet mall to look for the kids some summer clothes and a new dinnerware set.  The kids fell asleep in the car, of course, so when we got to the outlet, I just ran out to look for new shoes.  I got 2 pairs, the kids each 1.  Went back to the car and they were still sleeping but woke up when I put the bag in the back of the car.  I told Nick about the sale at the shoe store so he went and found a pair and Sterling got another pair.  All hell broke lose because Xander wanted a ball and Sterling wanted to be held.  We were going to run into the Corelle store, but that wouldn't have been smart so I'll be going back.  By myself!  So we headed home, which was actually good because my stomach was having a thunderstorm.  Not a fun way to end such a fun day.

We were supposed to go see my dad today because he's in the region but I woke up with my stomach still in a thunderstorm.  I hate feeling like this and hope tomorrow I will be feeling better and we can still drive up and see him before he heads back east.  

February Happenings

Feb 8th: Xander and I had haircuts while daddy stayed home with Sterling.  When we got home she had her tutu on and was watching Caillou, her favorite!  Later that night she was loving being a ballerina and twirling around and around.  Xander took a nap this day, a rare event, so we had to document it of course!

Feb 11th:  Sterling ate her first plate of spaghetti!  That's big news around here because she normally wouldn't touch it. 

Feb 13th:  Beautiful weather so after the kids got home from school we spent an hour outside enjoying the warmth.  Xander even tried his skills at making a snowman.  He demanded the snowman to have a "carrot nose". 

Feb 14th:  Happy Valentine's Day!  Here's our post already written up...click here

Feb 15th:  Another beautiful day out. We went to lunch at Kona Grill...yummy as always, the kids really love the potstickers.  After lunch we went for a walk around the lake near our home, it's a 3 mile walk around.  The kids loved the wagon ride.  After we left, Xander fell asleep before we even left the parking lot so we decided to drive around to let him sleep.  We ended up at Sonic for a limeade for myself and a milk shake for hubs.

Feb 18th:  Another nice day out.  After school playtime was outside again.  I can see many days this summer outside.  Xander became a pro at his turbo speed on his 4 wheeler so he was cruising all around the yard!  Later that night we headed on our walk around the lake and Sterling decided she needed to walk the last mile while bubba slept.

Feb 19th:  I had to run errands and decided to look at how to make cake balls while at Wal-Mart.  Trying to decide on what to do for Sterling's birthday. 

Feb 21st:  sibling love. 

Feb 24th:  Sterling had her eye exam.  She did such a great job following directions!  After naps the kids were wired so we went outside.  It was rather cold this day, but getting the fresh air helped calm them down.  We also headed for a walk around the lake after hubs got home from work.  Xander passed out before we made it to the half mile mark.  I guess I'd take a nap too if I were being carried around. 

 Feb 25th:  We started receiving some of the things we picked out for Sterling for her birthday.  She carried this dress around and kept saying thank you, mommy.  I had to tell her daddy picked out her outfits and she needed to tell daddy thank you.

Feb 26th:  We got the bounce house in the mail. Birthday gift for both kids...and maybe a little cabin fever change of pace gift?  We've had a LOT of bitter cold days and it's about to make us bonkers.   

Feb 28th:  I appliqued!  It's about time!  The owl shirt if for my niece.  She already planning an owl birthday party for herself.  It sounds like it's going to be a big deal.  She saw an owl on etsy and I had that exact same owl I made for Sterling last year so I made her one with her favorite fabrics.  Love how it turned out!  I also made a shirt for my sister's nephew, he's turning 2 this weekend, but we didn't make it a "birthday" shirt.  I made Sterling her birthday shirt.  I had the most difficult time deciding what to do.  I purchased the number set a while back, but wasn't sure if I wanted it or something else.  I was in Hobby Lobby and found this bow (attached to her shirt) and I had already purchased the same exact fabric a few weeks ago.  So, it was a perfect party match set!  Xander got his shamrock train that I got for free last year for spending so much at one applique shop.  I still have so much to do.  Xander's birthday shirt and Easter shirts are next.