Small Victories

My defiant, strong willed, stubborn, sweet little girl showed me a victory today. Since we have begun our lifestyle transformation Maddy has made huge leaps and bounds. Earlier tonight she sat with her dad for almost 20 minutes and did homework! Then later she kicked over Reeds treats... Accidentally... But I jumped up and just overwhelmed from the day and a little under the weather quickly started picking up the treats. Maddy said she was sorry and I snapped backed that sorry would be better if she just would help clean up once and awhile. Now any other night, any day, any time she would have either become hugely sensitive or snapped back at me. (Probably like I deserved.) but this time she didn't... She got up and helped me clean. I have never felt such pride in my grown up little girl.

Good Morning Baaaaltimore!

Ray and I got away on a little anniversary trip thanks to Nana, Papa, Mimi and Casey! We had a blast!

Why Mimi is No Longer Allowed in the Kitchen

It's Starting to Look Like...

Reed is going to take after his sister, cuckoo.

Tooth 3!

Braves, Sleepovers, Rainbows and Minivans

This weekend was a busy one!

Maddy's next adventure is... Tee-ball! We are giving it a shot, and Maddy is on the Braves.

Maddy is in LOVE with the minivan. All.she.wants.to.do.is.drive.around. And switch seats, and try the gadgets.

We had another cousin visit, and sleepover. We also caught a glimpse of this beautiful double rainbow.

 And finally, Sunday night came and Maddy was exhausted. Her one request? Turning her brother's pack n' play over on its side and sleeping in it. With the baby monitor. She is a silly, crazy kid.

Some bonus shots from the past few weeks. 

Maddy "hills" (a trick she learned from Papa)

Parenting 2

Today felt like a crash course in parenting 2 kids. Both kids went to daycare (Maddy's is an am program before the bus picks her up for school, and Reed started at a home-based center) and Ray had to leave before the sun rose.

Things I Learned:
1. Sometimes 5 year olds will not eat anything you offer.
2. Sometimes the happiest babies wake up MAD, especially on "school" days.
2. Feeding, dressing, packing, and moving 3 people out the front door at a specified time should be an Olympic sport.
4. Sometimes all of these activities make someone so tired that they no longer know how to count. (See, my numbering above.)
5. Having a minivan, makes everything just a little easier.

You heard right, we had to trade in our lease. A lease with 2 kids is like shoveling the day before a snowstorm. After wheeling and dealing, we got into a really comfortable, really affordable minivan. The 23-year-old me is probably sobbing outside of the mall chewing gum, but the 31-year-old me is ready to take on every errand, activity, and playdate thrown my way. (I am also ready to just sit down and take a nap in it, but hey that's pretty cool too.)