Where to start!

So from the last blog post, in which the weather was starting to warm, we've been here, there and possibly everywhere. We've also seen much of our families! 

Nana and Gampa (my parents) were here in late may. We had a great time together, Matt and my Dad finished the esthetic needs of the guest bedroom in the basement, so feel free to come a knockin! 

The girls of course always enjoy spending time with them, and were spoiled completely rotten with new summer clothing. :) That always makes for a happy mama :) 

I have no idea what these turkeys are doing!! 

With Gigi

 She was thrilled with these mini cones. She kept playing musical cones and would lick one and put it back and lick the next and continue.

Nana always has the best snuggles and cuddles!!! 

I have many more pictures of the weekend but they're on my phone. 

 Ill add to this post eventually!

We also spent some time in Wisconsin with Grandma and Grandpa Dudgeon. 

There's always stuff to venture out and see at the farm!

 We stalked the cows....or they stalked us? For some reason the both were intrigued and terrified of Ellee. It was hilarious!!!!!!!!

Stopped to smell the lilacs...

 We spent plenty time with tonnes of cousins. Thats always fun!!!

 We even ventured for our first horseback ride!!!

 And papa took us canoeing!!

Wow.

I am magnificently overdue for a blog post. Many pictures words and updates on th girls to come!!

87 degree weather!

Monday was a hot one. We spent time outside and even made a first for Ellee, flagged down the ice cream truck!! Too bad auntie Shayshay wasn't here to enjoy it too!

 Peyton enjoyed the swing much more then Ellee has been. Ellee loved the swing last summer. Something between now and then happened...annnd she screams like a crazy woman if you even try to put her in it.

Weird kid.

 Ellee was obviously unsure what this giant cold thing in her hand was. Needless to say she she did NOT get the concept of a popsicle. The result was me biting off chunks and shoveling them in her mouth.  She kept trying to hold the popsicle with her hands, and we were just at the park (yuck) so I was not interested in letting her use her germeriphic covered piggys to eat :) just sayin...

You can also tell how warm it was as ellee is bright and rosy :)

 

Lots going on

There's so much I could write about! I should probably keep up with posting more often as that makes it sooo much easier then blasting one post full of pictures and info. 

We spent some quality time with lots of friends. :)

Friday I went to target. I had a couple things to pick up there and as usually I cruise around the store checking out everything. I usually have Peyton in the cart and ellee in the toddler seat in front of me. I can't put peyton in the toddler seat because then Ellee is in the cart and she easily can stand and pull things off passing shelves. Which she does...even from the toddler seat. But its easier to hold her away from them and keep her more inline when shes right in front of me :) Ellee also loves to shop. She will cosntantly point and pronounce CUUUUUE! CUUUE! (cute) 

On this particular day we were in the baby/toddler section and we pass a rack with hats. Ellee went bonkers! 

HAT! HAT! HAT! HAAAAAT! 

She really wanted it so I grabbed it and slapped it on her head. She so sassily grabbed either side of the straw floppy hat and pulled it around her face and very sweetly says "cue, cue!" 

"Yes, its cute, but no were not buying."

I went back saturday and purchased both the hat and a dress to go with. Shes so in love with it I just might coordinate every sunday outfit she wears with it so she can wear the hat every sunday :) 

My little Kentucky derby gal!

It was awesome to have some gorgeous weather! Who knew Illinois could actually be almost as pretty as wisconsin. We checked out a forest preserve near us and that was pretty awesome. We went hiking and off trail. It was sooo nice to get some good exercise, fresh air, and completely enjoy it all at the same time!

 Matt asked me to prom at the end of the hike... :)

:)

Because sometimes the easiest way to get some quiet time is holding her through naptime...makes me unproductive, but i dont mind :)

You'll love it.

So Ellee has been going through that phase of Im-gonna-do-what-i-wanna-do-no-matter-what-you-say-even-if-your-gonna-discipline-me phase.
Do you know this phase?
Have you been acquainted?
I am acquainted. My hubs is acquainted.
And frankly, we're frenemies with it. You know, like friends but actually enemies.
Thats how I am trying to look at it. Its Ellee's sinful nature coming to the forefront. Thankfully I've been told it is JUST a phase and should disappear soon enough. In the meantime I am battling myself as to why she is behaving like so, and what, if anything can I do to tackle it.
Stick to my guns is what I've been trying to keep in mind. Don't back down. I figure if I am consistent and I actually do what I say I am gonna do, she wont doubt me and think she can possibly get away with something. So far it's been a losing battle and she either
A. Thinks she can run fast enough to avoid discipline
B. Think she get her own vengeance on me with disciplining me back :-o

Everyone always says being a mom is hard. It is. It can be really hard. And there are days when I just want to rip my hair out, or take an uninterrupted nap, or actually enjoy each bite of my meals, or...what does it matter? It doesnt :)
Everyone says being a mom is hard,  but no one ever says how much you'll love it.
You'll love it.

Now let me tell you how the past couple days have been going.

AVOID THIS SEGMENT IF YOU ARE ONE OF THOSE WEAK STOMACHS. 


Thursday Matt was sick and stayed home from work.
Friday I was acquainted with the bug and Matt was getting over it.
Saturday we had to cancel plans with friends since I was sick. :( Matt also put mulch in the gardens and the backyard resulting in Ellee's new favorite thing to do. pick up handfuls of mulch and sit and throw it down the window well. Officially, I HATE MULCH. 
Sunday I stayed home for church to lessen the spread of germs. Sunday afternoon Ellee Scarlett had a poop flinging party. Sunday afternoon we Mommy got to clean it up. Daddy was off the premises which we were thankful for. He doesn't do well with poop.
Monday......Ellee emptied all contents of her stomach for absolutely no reason other then the fact that she didnt want to eat her dinner. Mommy sat there freaking out and has learned in moments as such you must react as quickly as possible to lessen the damage. Daddy was ON the premises and was not impressed and spent much time leaving rooms to avoid having his own issues. However he did carry the entire highchair with Ellee in it upstairs to the bathroom to help with cleanup, but Mommy did all the raunchy hosing down. blugh!
This was quickly followed by Peyton emptying her stomach all over mommy. This resulted in mommy taking 30 and running errands...solo.  :)

I just realized that this is all TMI (too much information). I'll be sure to put a note at the beginning to help those with the weak stomachs to avoid reading.

Oh and just so you know. I STILL love being mama :)

Battles with Babies

My husband is stubborn.
I would say I'm pretty strong willed....
Ellee, however, is the queen of stubbornness. If she doesn't wanna do it. Good luck.

But ah, we cracked her. And boy oh boy, did it ever feel good.
She sat at the dinner table with two bites, literally two, for over 2 hours. I went to the store after dinner and came back and she was still there.
I shouldn't have been surprised because
1. I shouldn't doubt my hubs
2. I left her with the second most stubborn person I know :)
Finally, somewhere close to 2.5 hours we started the bribing process.
"Bubbles?"
"Wan boobles. Yes! Yes!"
"Okay, take a bite then bubbles."
"Boobles, boobles!"
"Take a bite."
"No, no, nooooo."
And the process continued in circles.
Then Matt shoveled sweet potato in her mouth.
That's when I proceeded to clap and cheer as she almost spit it out and then said 'yay bubbles!!'
She managed to swallow before reaching for the bubbles and shouting with excitement.
We had to shove the next one in and then after that she ate the rest without any forcing, just a lot of bubbles post bites. I'll have to keep a stock pile of bubbles, but hey, at least we know she's not unbreakable!

Peyton decided today she wouldn't nap. I worked hard all morning to make the girls naps align but of course she decided to not cooperate. It was fine though. We all survived.
She did get her first taste of solids tonight. It was some oatmeal and she seemed to take it fine, we'll see how her night goes :)
She's been spitting up like crazy. The doctor prescribed some Zantac for acid reflux but it doesn't seem to be helping a tonne. We'll see if the solids help.