TRAVELING WITH KIDS: LOTS OF WAITING AND MISSING FLIGHT

Today marks the first ever flight as a family of four! Two lap children = we can no longer sit in the same row together. Since I am Brooklyn's favorite, of course she needed to sit with me... the entire flight. The exponentially easier, almost two month old child was claimed by Rob. We did hit the jackpot however by sitting next to a service lap dog. Brooklyn and the dog shared the floor where she was entertained for most of the trip. Snacks, her LDS quite book and the "amamal" app on my phone kept her content the rest of the flight. Lydia slept. 

Once we arrived in Phoenix we realized we may have packed more than we could carry: two full size suitcase, a carry on size suitcase, golf clubs, car seat, stroller, diaper bag, and Rob's work bag. The original plan was for Rob to get the rental car while I waited outside the kid's gait from their Denver flight. Except they missed their flight.... Plan two: our family of four board the rental car shuttle bus, get the car, go to my in-laws. (My step kids wouldn't be able to get on a flight until the next day because all the direct flights were sold out due to the holidays) 

We choose Fox rental car which we always instantly regret, because it is so cheap. Over $500 less than the next company for the week! But alas, as with anything in life you get what you pay for. We waited almost an hour {see picture below} and dealt with some less this professional Fox employees. We finally got our minivan; complete with a smoke smell and squeaky breaks. Rob is going to return it tomorrow when he goes to pick up the kids. 

And my family arrives tomorrow! The party is sure to start once the whole group is together! I'm hoping for easier travels for everyone else... 

A ROLL AND A POOP

This little girl rolled over, twice today! We clapped and cheered so loud she decided she wanted to roll again. Seven weeks old and already a crowd pleaser; just like her big sis! 

Brooklyn, not to be out down by one of Lydia's firsts decided to poop in the potty! I'm pretty sure this is a one off but none the less we were pretty proud of this 15 month old doing her thang. I took off her cloths to give her a shower, as I was turning the water on I heard her peeing on the ground. I grabbed her and put her in the shower then she screamed "poo-poo!" (We have been practicing identifying this) I ran to grab the potty and she completed her business there. Sorry for the blurry and gross pictures, one day Brooklyn will appreciate these! 

LYDIA IS SIX WEEKS OLD

Why does time need to move so quickly?

Every day when I look at Lydia I just want to freeze time and be able to enjoy every second of her. Part  me of loves seeing her grow more plump, stay awake longer, lift her head higher and look into my eyes a little bit more. The other, very selfish part of me wants her to stay a newborn forever; a tiny, precious little doll that sleeps and cuddles all day long.  

I remember around this time last year Brooklyn was a little over three months and I started to ask Rob if we could get pregnant again because I so much loved my very little newborn. That feeling is exactly the same minus wanting another baby, just yet. Two is defiantly a lot harder than one. This time around I think I will take my time enjoying being a mom of just two for a little longer.

^^First day home.  That binkey makes her look like a little fish.

^^Look at how tiny my little girl is! 

^^Angry selfie to my husband at 3AM who was sleeping on the couch. Ha-Ha, but not really. 

^^So sleepy, barely hanging on with those eyes. 

^^Lydia getting her suntan on. She was jaundice for the first few days. 

^^Oh the possibilities for these two being best friends. I just cannot wait to see their friendship grow. 

^^So overwhelmed with love. All the girls we took home from the hospital

^^Friends from Boston even came to visit! 

^^The first of what will be many trips to costco. 

^^Dancing in her disco outfit with grammy. 

^^Two weeks! Back to birth weight.. 8 pounds 

^^One of the few times this girl has cried... in her life. 

^^Sister-sister bath time. 

^^Sometimes the baby needs to stay in the bed. With your eye mask on, of course. 

^^Hanging out, admiring her big sister. 

^^Brooklyn looking pretty guilty. She has started a bad habit of hitting her sister for attention :( She was about to strike here until I yelled No-no! 

^^Halloween day. What a happy Halloween is was

^^First day at the beach! November 1st. (Brooklyn looks miserable because she just got crashed by a wave)

^^Lydia's favorite aunt, Lisa. The two hoofs snuggling on the couch. 

^^She actually, really looks like a doll. 

^^Most stylish car seat cover on the block. 

^^Oh Lydia, how I love you so! 

THE HAIRCUT THAT WASN'T

A few weeks ago when my mom was in town we brought Brooklyn to get her first hair cut. My mom was pretty adamant there wasn't enough hair to cut and it was unnecessary. Against her suggestions I went forward making an appointment at the most expensive children's hair salon I could find. Hey, you only get your first hair cut one time. We showed up early and I giddily took her "before pictures" then gave my mom the camera to take a few of us both. I wanted to be sure to document this very important milestone. The hairdresser started surveying her hair and to my horror said there really wasn't much to do. She recommended against cutting the hair and said in a few weeks I would regret it. 

My mom was right. 

She let me know for the rest of the trip: Mother is always right. 

^^Before picture. She was ready to get a trim! 

^^Surveying the hair

^^Telling me she wasn't so sure about the cut.. 

^^My moment of defeat. 

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

This post took me a little while to put together because there were so many pictures! I'm not sure if it was the four week old baby/ no sleep combination or the sheer amount of celebrations we attended but I felt really overwhelmed this year. 

My mom is so creative for holidays and always made sure we were creating the best memories, that is all I was trying to do. {sigh} Instead I felt too tired and was in a bad mood at a few of these events (I know, poor me right). Next year we are going to be a little more strategic on the things we dress up for- not just go to anything and everything that says "Halloween".

Brooklyn had two costumes and my poor second child Lydia had none. She used Brooklyn's from last year on the night of Halloween and I dressed her in some cute lack and orange get-ups for the other days. 

The Halloween madness lasted the entire month of October. We started with the pumpkin patch when my mom was in town, went to the happy hallow halloween fest, had a dress up play date with friends, a Halloween dinner party with friends, the church trunk or treat, Rob's Halloween concert in SF, trick or treated at Santana Row on Tuesday, then downtown Willow Glen on Wednesday and concluded the month with a Halloween party and night time trick or treating at a friends house. 

Just writing all of that actually made me tired. Kind of glad October is over (and my sleep-less nights), looking to a less activity filled November and December. 

^^Prop pictures at Happy Hallow.

^^First night in the Minnie costume- looking nice and new! Halloween {chili and corn bread} dinner at friend's house.

^^The mouse ears were a little big. Brooklyn marched around the church gym in a Halloween parade. 

^^Lydia wasn't feeling the night. Maybe because I was too lazy to get her an actual costume. 

^^Trying to show off my Disney poncho. We were suppose to be tourists. The costumes were genius to me and my sister but no one else knew what we were. Guess we are a little more die hard Disney than most. 

^^Lisa giving out the candy with Lydia in our non-decorated trunk. Ours was probably the worst car. We know better for next year. 

^^Counting/ surveying her candy. Such a candy lover it drives me crazy! 

^^Ponchos, ears, jeans, sports shirt and sneakers. SCREAMS Disney tourist, anyone??

^^With the gal that inspired the outfit, little Minnie

^^Back stage with my rockstar husband, literally. 

^^Killing it on stage! Proud groupie wife ;)

White swan/Black swan. We needed something last minute and I had a black tutu, done and done. 

^^The wings!

^^Trick or Treating at Santana Row. This day she dressed in her Dancing with the Stars costume. It was a little cold so she needed a jacket, which kind of ruined the outfit. 

^^The not so tiny dancer with candy in hand, of course. 

^^Lydia's Halloween day outfit.

^^My candy monster. Hearing her scream "ANNNNDdy, ANNNNDdy, ANNNNDdy" over and over and over never gets old.  

^^Halloween night! Party at Ambers. We attempted a kids picture which turned into we need the moms also,  picture. 

^^Lyd's hand-me-down costume. Poor girl. Next year she is getting the best costume around!

^^Family shot on Halloween. Love them <3

^^Daddy and Lydia. She's his little buddy 

^^My little buddy. 

^^Lisa came home from work in the best outfit and looked exactly like a big Minnie! It was perfect.

^^The best part of the whole night was seeing her knock on the door and then say "thank you" after she received the candy. 

^^Halloween confusion.

^^Brooklyn and one of her best, Ty!