It doesn't get better than this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZlvThMiBL0

I'm embarrassed at the state of my closet in this clip, and was actually in the process of cleaning it but had to stop and capture these sweet sweet giggles!

8 months

Well at the end of the week, Violet turns 8 months.  8 Sounds like big number.  I was anticipating my depressed state at these large number milestones, and I admit that I don't like the idea of her getting too old, but what I forgot was how much I LOVE parenting the next 6-12 months of life.  She's discovering new things daily, and sometimes hourly, and from what I remember of Benjamin, discoveries keep coming at that speed till she's about 18 months.  I'm smiling in anticipation just thinking about it!

As for Violets current life skills...

• pretending to drink from a sippy cup
• rolling, sitting, and crawling forward
• saying "bababa" in a talking tone
• picking up and eating "puffs"
• grabbing EVERYTHING, mostly glasses
• deep belly laughs!

Violets sleep isn't going great.  I really just want to hire a super nanny to come figure her out, and then let me take it from there.  I'm not joking.  But since that won't happen, we'll keep trying.  What's the problem you ask?  She doesn't nap long (or at all) in the mornings.  She gets pretty ticked if I try to put her down too early, and has a super hard time trying to fall asleep when she's over tired.  She won't "let me" rock her, without nursing her, but should I continue to do that, no one else has a chance to get her to sleep because she won't take a bottle.  She occasionally is ok being bounced to sleep, but only about 30 % of the time, and then, usually only with Joel.  And as far as "crying it out" I have tried the method a couple times, for a few days each time, and she will do great once, and then cry as long as we let her the next time.  So my current attack plan is to attempt to get her to fall asleep on her own in the first 10 minutes, and then just pat her back till she is out.  I have to bend over in the pack n play to reach her, as we haven't done the bed switch yet, and my legs fall asleep fast!  Its crazy times over here, in our closet - where she still sleeps!  (yes mom, we tried the basement but its too cold, and i'm not running the heater in July!)  But as much as I have written about Violets lack of sleep, she's really oddly happy.  Most of my frustration comes from wanting "me time" which doesn't happen when babies eyes are open!  She is getting a little fussier so I know we do need to tackle the issue, but thankfully I don't have a bear on my hands...yet!

On a positive note, her and her brother LOVE each so very much.  Its so much fun to see them interact!  She also is playing so much and finding toys oh so interesting!  She has the best expressive eyebrows and when you combine that with her smile, she's TROUBLE! (and yes, thats probably why she's whooping us in the sleep department...)

I hope that time slows down just a little bit, but I'm looking forward to the next few months!  Hope you all have a great July.  Stay cool!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZlvThMiBL0

They're here !!!

Benjamin - 2 Years

Violet - 6 months

http://www.rebekahstephenson.com/#/special/splash/

BaBaBaBa

Joel and I took the kids to Walmart and Target tonight in search of another sound machine, and light blocking curtains.  Violet had her first non-vowel sounding words...Ba Ba Ba (she doesn't take a bottle, so it was purely gibberish!)  It was repeated by her older Brother, and went back and forth many times, interrupted only by giggles.  :)

Violet is doing great putting more spacing between feedings and is also being more adventurous with baby food. Our sleep domination, well, hasn't been dominated.  She has, however, established a "norm" (a three day trend) of sleeping 10-30 minutes in the morning, and 2-4 hrs in the afternoon.  Evenings are still random.  So I repeat, sleep has yet to be dominated.

We're sitting up, rolling EVERYWHERE, and "crawling" forward and backward.  It doesn't look like typical crawling, but I can't say I've seen it enough to describe it.  Last week she moved but only went backwards to the wall, and this wee she is purposeful about her goal, and somehow gets there!

Violet is incredibly ticklish.  It makes my heart happy.  She loves eye contact and being held but is doing pretty well playing by herself, now that she is mobile.  She still likes to be wrapped a lot, but I have "cut back", just because I've needed to get things done.  She also likes Benjamin's toys... a lot!

Wish me luck as I go for day 4 of our fantastic afternoon naps!
Here's some baby rolls for you viewing pleasure:

Momeee!

Being a momma is pretty incredible.  I really really love it.  There are however times that hearing your title over and over and over and over isn't incredible.  Unfortunately that is Benjamin's new "favorite activity"!

Other Benjamin news:

• He loves singing "Super Why" and "Dinosaur Train".  
• He names EVERYTHING he sees.  And if he isn't sure what its called, "What's that?" is shouted out REPEATEDLY until he learns the name.
• If you ask him to finish his food 'all gone' and give him a motivator (like getting to watch t.v.) he shoves ALL his food in his mouth.
• He's AWESOME at picking up his toys
• We're gaining ground on our numbers, but have resorted to humor if we don't know them.  I'm not losing hope...It happened with our letters until one week he just decided to master them!
• He would live outside if he could.  You think I'm exaggerating.  I am not.  He LOVES the park and pool!
• We're experimenting with a later bed time and trying to sleep in later.  Tonight Joel and I got some light blocking curtains and we'll see how the morning goes!
• Benjamin Loves running, but quickly switches to marching when commanded.  :)
• If we don't get enough energy out, Benjamin runs from our front door to the kitchen door.  For those of you who have been to my house, you know that it isn't very far!
• He's having a little bit of a hard time sharing.  It could be worse, but we have some work to do!  Its normally not a problem with peers, just with Violet.  However the other day at the pool, he was very protective of Violets floaty seat.  It was kind of embarrassing.
• He has special "cookie radar".  He woke up from his nap the other day. stopped in the hall.  looked up at the counter, pointed and said, "Cookie! Cookie!.  And that night, as he marched off to his crib, he threw up his hand with a wave, saying, "night cookie!"  :)

And that concludes my "need to remember" Benjamin notes...As always, there are many more, but I'm pretty tired!  G'nite all!

A Happy 4th and Nana and Papa's!

The last days of June

our toys show we have an older brother

this is why i don't get much done during the day!

:)

they play so well together, and I trust them WAY too much!

mmmwwa!

I'm not sure who's taking the fish away from whom...

violet, however, won the fish battle

violets first time in the pool

take off the pink hat, and this picture could be Benjamin

for some reason he doesn't like to sit on his bottom in the pool

Yay! I'm not taking a nap!

mmm, this sun screen smells good!