Gemma is such a little lady now. It's hard to believe that at this time last year, she was just learning to walk and this year she's officially potty trained. Everyone told me time would fly by once I had kids...I had no idea!

We experienced a "first" a couple nights ago. She had her first bad dream. Well, obviously I have no clue when she had her first bad dream, but it was the first time she woke up and wanted to get in our bed because she was scared. Gosh it was sweet! I can remember climbing into my parents' bed when I woke up with bad dreams, and just like David did, my parents would get tired of me taking up room in their bed and eventually carry me back to my room. That part I hated! So if it hadn't been for the fact that we had gotten little to no sleep the previous 4 days with both kids being sick, I would have stopped David from swooping her up to go tuck her back into her own bed. Thankfully, I don't think she woke up enough to realize what was going on.

Yesterday was Valentines day and Gemma got spoiled by her daddy. Actually she and I both did! I got a surprise day at the spa, and Gemma got a bag full of little gifts. The fact that David came home to surprise us just as I had put her in her room for nap time was probably the best part for her. She loves anything that interferes with her having to take a nap.

A look at how she has changed...

February 2011

February 2012

5 months

We went in for Makael's weight check, and at five months he weighs 13 lbs, 3 oz, and is 24 inches tall. Still hanging on in the 2 percentile for both height and weight. The doctor and I were both glad to see he hadn't dropped off the charts.




Makael's life at 5 months includes...

• cereal! His pediatrician said he usually recommends starting solids at six months, but didn't have a problem with me giving him cereal. He loves it, which makes me somewhat excited to start introducing fruits and veggies in a month.
  

• sleep training. This is as enjoyable as taking him in for shots... It's heart wrenching! Again, the pediatrician recommended I wait until 6 months...but I had to go against his advice on this one. I know from experience that the older they get, the harder it is. Last night was the first night and I can already see improvements, but I'm going to save all the details (even why I decided it was necessary) until we get through it and I can give a full recap. Probably later this week :)
  

• a new obsession with his daddy: Remember how I said I was his favorite person? I'm not so convinced anymore. He LOVES David! And what really baffles me is that David doesn't even have to try. The second Makael realizes David is around he starts making whatever noises he can to get David's attention,. The instant David acknowledges him, it's ear to ear smiles. It's pretty cute actually, I just wish he would put in that much effort for my attention.
  

• wanting more independence: He's getting really dang close to sitting on his own, but his ultimate goal is to crawl. During tummy time he fixes on a certain toy, and concentrates really hard as he grunts and stretches every which way trying to grab it. He has actually started moving forward a little, but not enough for him to realize it before he gets frustrated and starts crying. I'm not usually the one to wish for the "next phase", but I think he'll be much happier once he can move around a little bit.
  

On a different note...I've decided that having kids in the winter is hard. They just take turns being sick. Both of them had the stomach bug last week, and this week Gemma is congested, running a fever, and has a pretty nasty cough. I'm sure it's only a matter of time before Makael gets its. I'm ready for warmer weather!

Speed demon

Reading "Is Your Mamma a Lama" to Makael

Rasberries

Makael's new trick...we couldn't be more proud!

Oh Gemma

I don't even know what to say about Gemma besides that she's awesome. I've been somewhat scared of the "terrible 2s", but besides her little stint after Makael was born, she's been pretty great. The last few months have actually been my favorite with her so far. Watching her "pretend" play and have conversations with her toys is probably one of my favorite things right now, as well as the way she interacts with her friends...she seems so grown up at times. I find myself stopping to just watch her several times throughout the day. I love the way she hikes up her knees way too high as she runs, the way she concentrates while drawing, the way she "sings" to herself while she looks out the car window, and the way she manages to make a friend wherever we go. There's just so much cuteness to take in.

Last week I reserved her spot at preschool, and couldn't stop the tears from welling up when I got off the phone. I know she will do great and will absolutely love it. She'll for sure be the girl who excitedly runs off and instantly makes a friend, oblivious to the fact that her mom is standing at the doorway wanting a kiss goodbye and trying her hardest not to cry. I'm so thankful that's still a year and a half away!

Some days I wish I could just record everything she says. She has become quite the conversationalist. Some of my favorite recent one liners:
"I'm not funny mommy, I crazy"
"My outfit is so beautiful today"
" You're my best friend"
"I went potty in my pull up...you sad mom?"
"Oh my gosh!"
"That's a catholic church" (David and I still don't know where she learned that one)
"My brother is crying mom...make him stop"
"Don't cry baby Kael...I'm your best friend"
I could keep going...

I had my favorite 2012 moment with her! We made a chocolate cake together, and then sat on the kitchen floor and licked the bowl. It was so fun to share a moment with her and know she was enjoying it as much as I was, and as I watched her lick chocolate off her fingers I started thinking of things we'll get to start doing together as she gets older. We'll go on bike rides, bake cookies, watch "Anne of Green Gables"... To be honest, I have never been able to picture myself as a mother of kids older than the age of three. I could always imagine having a baby, but never a kid...until now :)
I don't know when I became such a sap.

She LOVES the ipad!

How dads wipe noses :)

4 Months!

I think it's crazy Makael is already 4 months old. I think time must speed up exponentially with each kid, because I could have sworn I just had him yesterday. He continues to be a very content baby and definitely has his mommy smitten with him. He cried for the first time because someone else was holding him last Sunday. I'm not going to lie...it made me feel very special :)

At four months Makael...

• weighs 12 lbs 6 oz, and is 23 1/4 inches long.
• has officially found his fingers, which reside inside his mouth at all times.
• has figured out how to blow rasberries.
• hates loud noises (which is a problem with his big sister around).
  
• loves the jumperoo.
• is getting really close to being able to sit up on his own.
• loves it when I sing to him.
• still takes the prize for most smiley baby. Even during his biggest cries he'll figure out some way to smile at me. It's pretty amazing.
  

I got a phone call from the pediatrician's office yesterday reminding me that he had his 4 months check up today, which was good since I had completely forgotten! It was kind of nice to forget though...I didn't have time to dwell on the visit like I usually do. I always dread taking them in for shots. Unfortunately he fell from the 10th to the 5th percentile in both weight and height which isn't ideal, so we've made some adjustments in hopes he gains a little more weight. I'll take him in again in a month to make sure he's gaining weight and eating better. The doctor did mention he looked very proportionate and healthy so he wasn't overly concerned.

Fascinated by the toys on the jumperoo...I love the concentration.

Onward to 2012

So I have no idea where to even start. It's been so long since I last posted, and so much has happened, that I don't know what to include and what to leave out. I'll do my best to keep this short and to the point.

I always get a little depressed after Christmas. There's so much anticipation leading up to it, that it's inevitable to feel a little sad when all the festivities end, family goes home, and it's time to take down the Christmas tree. This year was especially hard to see the season pass. There were a few things that made Christmas 2011 extra special. For starters, Makael was with us, making our family feel more complete...and I don't know what it is about him, but the boy just melts my heart. It was also incredibly fun to watch Gemma throughout the whole season...watching her pick out her tree ornament, watching her excitedly point out which stalking was hers, watching her face light up as she opened presents, and then appreciate them during the following weeks. My favorite thing this year however, was the fact that we had our first "official" Christmas together as a family. It was so surreal for me to have Christmas with "my family", in "my home", and watch "my kids" open presents. Definitely a Christmas for the books.

We are now in 2012 and I have already taken a gazillion pictures...that's what happens when you get a new camera lens for Christmas :) I'm usually the type to be sad that things have passed instead of being excited about what's to come. Thankfully, having Gemma and Makael has changed that somehow. I'm not sad last year is over, I'm actually anticipating 2012. I'm excited to see Makael learn how to sit on his own, crawl, walk, say his first words, and start demonstrating more and more of his sweet personality. I'm excited to watch Gemma continue to experience all the exciting things that come during toddler-hood, as she approaches her "childhood". There's going to be a lot of picture documenting on my part :)

Like most first posts of the year...I have to give a rundown of the previous year. 2011 was a fun year!

• We found out I was pregnant with baby #2.
• We survived 18+ inches of snow.
• Gemma learned how to walk!
• We redecorated our basement.
• We finished off the room in the basement and made it the new guest bedroom.
• Gemma moved into a big girl room.
• Gemma grew enough hair to wear pigtails :)
  
• I started potty training Gemma.
• I took a break from potty training Gemma.
• I re-started potty training Gemma.
• I'm still potty training Gemma.
• We bought a Ford Explorer to better accommodate multiple children.
• David and I celebrated our 5 year anniversary.
• We welcomed Makael into the world.
• Gemma turned 2 years old.
  
• We had our first family photo shoot as a family of 4.
  
• Makael learned how to smile, roll onto his back, babble, and sleep through the night :)

All in all a WONDERFUL year!!

There were too many pictures I wanted to post, so I've resorted to posting a link again.

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.333380073352463.85423.100000414194522&type=1