bitty baby dilemma

Finley had her 15 month check up today. She is perfectly healthy, but tiny. Avery was the same way, so the doctor didn't give me a big lecture on feeding her or anything (she eats more than her 3 year old sister does most of the time)- he says we just make them little. So, given that fact, I am not necessarily surprised that she is only in the 8th percentile for weight and 9th percentile for height, but I am SHOCKED that she is only 19.0 lbs!I could have sworn that she had hit the magic 20 lb. mark (that is a BIG accomplishment in our house) - I just switched out her infant carrier car seat for her forward facing one YESTERDAY- I was THAT sure!

So, here is my problem. Finley is absolutely LOVING facing forward and now the doctor says that I really should turn her back around. On one hand I am thinking- it is just ONE pound, what would it hurt to keep her forward?! But, on the other hand, if we were to get in an accident and ANYTHING happened to my baby that could have been prevented if I turned her back, I would not be able to forgive myself. So, do I live with a screaming baby for the 8 hour drive to Oregon we are embarking on this evening and maintain peace of mind; OR, do I keep her forward and just pray really hard that we don't get in an accident to make it a more pleasant trip for all?! What to do, what to do?! ARGGG! Just gain some weight already!

two little monkeys

There is nothing better than the sound of full on belly laughter coming out of two tiny little bodies. As I was walking back to my bedroom I heard the girls just cracking each other up. I knew whatever they were doing was video worthy, so I grabbed the camera real quick and ran to capture it before they were through, or before someone got hurt, which would more likely be the case- especially given what I found them doing...

I was able to document their joy and save my two little monkeys from falling off the bed! They are getting to the point that they can play together and BOTH have fun! It makes my heart smile to see that they are starting to really enjoy each other. I pray that this is only the beginning of a lifetime of fun that they will have as sisters. I also hope they never stop laughing... their giggles are infectious!

Mischievous Acts of a 1 year old

My dear sweet, feisty little Finley is constantly on the move- she is curious to no end. If I don't hear her for any period of time, if it is too quiet, I know I must go find her and fear what I will catch her doing. These pictures illustrate just ONE DAY in the life of our little tornado.1. As soon as she got out of her crib, she was off and running. She pulled that glass (fortunately it was plastic) from the window ledge and spilt the water everywhere. When I found her, she was drenched. I went to get a towel to dry everything and she followed me- leaving a watery trail in her wake.

2. After I changed her into some dry clothes and went to dry up the water, she pulled the roll of paper off the easel and then proceeded to tangle herself up in it. When she couldn't get out, she busted right through. Avery's masterpiece ended up in the recycling bin.

3. I started unloading the dishwasher and turned around to put something away. When I turned back around, I saw this... a favorite trick of hers- mama turns away for 2 seconds and she crawls up onto the dishwasher pulling out the knives and other dangers that are easily accessed.
4. I removed Finley from the temptation of the dishwasher as I was finishing up- I put her in Avery's room with a few toys. I came back to check on her and found this mess....also a frequent occurrence. She pulls out all the bins from Avery's room and dumps all the toys out on the floor. I am pretty sure she has help from her older sister on this one- even though Avery likes to blame it all on Finley.
5. While I was putting all the toys away, I realized I hadn't seen or heard from Finley in a few minutes. I searched around and found her playing in the toilet with items found in the bathroom garbage.
6. I took the garbage out and came back to find her tearing apart a stack of magazines that were in a magazine rack ON THE WALL?!

All this by 9:15 a.m. when we had to leave to take Avery to preschool! It is exhausting trying to stay a step ahead of her at all times, or follow after cleaning up! It is a good thing she is so darn cute!

My newest obsession

I just spent the last 5 days completely absorbed in the world of Bella and Edward as I devoured the Twilight Series for the first time. Yes, it has taken me a while to catch on- it seems I am the last person I know to read these books. The hype was not overstated. I loved them! No, this is not earth moving literature, but it is addicting and intoxicating none the less. I am actually glad that I waited so long- I was able to read all 3 back to back to back without a pause. Now my only sadness comes from the fact that I have to wait until August 2 (when Book 4 is released) to see what happens next! I am going through withdrawls. I am seriously considering reading them again (something I NEVER do). Also, as I was searching for the release date of the next book, I discovered that Twilight THE MOVIE is set to release 12/12/08. Click HERE to see the cast. I am not convinced. I prefer the characters as I see them in my head. If nothing else, they were dressed much better when I was reading... what's with the 80's outfits and the REALLY bad hair in this shoot?! Your thoughts?! Fortunately, the outlook for the movie looks much more hopeful in these clips.

I guess I have to get back to MY life now... the one I have been neglecting for the past 5 days. My girls and the laundry are demanding attention!

Finley is FINALLY a walker!

The day after we returned from our trip, Finley decided that she was going to start walking as an actual mode of transportation instead of just a trick she would do only on occasion (much encouragement and cheering required). She has been pulling herself up on furniture, climbing on anything that stands still, and taking unassisted steps for months now, but something FINALLY just clicked and now she is a bona fide walker! She went from taking a few steps to walking all over the house! When she falls down, she gets back up and continues walking rather than falling and crawling quickly to her destination to make up for lost time! It is so fun to watch little ones work so hard on something and then finally "get" it and reach the milestone they have been working toward.

Finley is 14 months old, which makes her kind of a late walker (we must just make them that way- Avery was 15 months when she finally started), but people that see her walking around are just amazed that this little "8 month old" is toddling around (this is a comment that has been made by a surprising number of people). Yes, she is on the bitty side, but to mistake her for 8 months old, really?! She is not THAT little, is she!?

Anyway...here are a couple of video clips of our new little walker girl...

What a difference a week makes... now Finley is MUCH more stable on her feet- she doesn't even fall down when her sister is running circles around her! What a BIG girl! Side note: Avery loves to dress up and now Finley wants to get in the game too! In addition to showing off her walking skills, this next clip also documents Finley's first dress up session with her big sister.

Where Dreams Come True...

We just got back from the most AMAZING trip with Paul's entire family where we did everything Disney! We flew to Orlando, Florida on Saturday, April 12 and started out with 4 days at Disney World (Animal Kingdom, Epcot Center, Hollywood Studios, and the Magic Kingdom). On Thursday, we embarked on a 3 night Disney Cruise to the Bahamas! We got off the boat early Sunday morning and flew home. It was a whirlwind, but we had so much fun! Here is a little glimpse...

Disney's Animal Kingdom

Highlights: Kilimanjaro Safaris, Dinosaur, Finding Nemo the musical, Expedition Everest, meeting Pluto, Mickey, and Minnie- Avery was really into getting autographs in her book, and of course the $8.00 Disney ponchos to keep us dry from the unexpected rain!

Disney's Hollywood Studios

Highlights: Playhouse Disney LIVE on stage, Avery getting to go out and dance with the High School Musical dancers, Voyage of the Little Mermaid, and the Beauty and the Beast production.

Epcot Center

Highlights: The World Showcase (especially the French patisserie in "France"), the shamrock covered Minnie Mouse we got Avery (our St. Patty's baby) in "Ireland", the Seas with Nemo and friends, Turtle Talk with Crush, and the fireworks display.

The Magic Kingdom

Highlights: Meeting all the princesses at the Toontown Hall of Fame, Avery getting her face painted like Cinderella, Space Mountain, Tea Cups, getting SOAKED when we were already sooooo cold on Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, the Barnstormer at Goofy's Wiseacre Farm, not waiting in line for anything longer than 20 minutes, seeing all the magic through a 3 year old's eyes!Disney Cruise

Highlights: The Cast Off party, the REALLY rocky seas the first night on the ship (no one could even walk straight), the shows in the Walt Disney Theater on-board, the Pirate Party and late night buffet complete with ice sculptures, and ships made completely out of chocolate, Nassau- going to the ATLANTIS resort, the aquarium, the BEST coconut ice cream, Castaway Cay (Disney's private island)- white sand beaches, turquoise waters, sunshine, and massages in ocean front cabanas It was all so very MAGICAL, like only DISNEY can do!

I would love, love, LOVE to do this trip again when our youngest is 3- Avery was the perfect age. To her, everything was real- the princesses, the characters, the shows, the surprises. She loved it all and it was so fun to see her so excited! Finley at 1, did great for the most part , but I think it would be the MOST fun if all the kids were 3+. Regardless, we had a WONDERFUL time.

Now, it is back to the real world. I am still working on getting everyone back on California time (the time change going wasn't so bad, but coming back has been a little more difficult), trying to regain my land legs (I still- 4 days later- feel like I am moving with the boat, plane, or whatever), and getting everyone unpacked and all the laundry done! We need a vacation to recover!

The ABC's of ME

My cousin Celestia "tagged" me last week. I am usually horrible about getting these types of things done, but I thought the format of this one was kind of fun, so here you go...

A: Attached or Single- Attached... Married for almost 8 years now

B: Best Friend- My husband Paul, Gilen (whom I talk to every day- usually several times) a close 2nd, as well as several others I am fortunate enough to consider close friends (even though most of them live..sob... far away).

C: Cake or Pie- Madonna Inn Banana Nut Cake ...see HERE

D: Day of Choice- Saturday

E: Essential Items- Purpose moisturizer, frizz control product, Bare Escentuals Mineral Make-up, Infant Tylenol on hand at all times (Finley is constantly teething, or so it seems), an iron (everything looks better freshly pressed!), sunglasses, hand sanitizer, body butter from the body shop, my camera, and the list goes on... (now I have a good head start on my packing list for our trip).

F: Favorite Color- "happy” green (at least for the moment)

G: Gummy Bears or Worms- Gummy Bears- but they have to be Haribo Gold Bears

H: Hometown- Harrisburg, OR... population 1,500 and graduating high school class of 67!

I: Favorite Indulgence- Ben and Jerry’s Chubby Hubby ice cream with all of it's chocolate covered, peanut butter filled pretzel goodness

J: January or July- July- 4th of July is one of my FAVORITE holidays!

K: Kids- Avery (3) and Finley (1)- They are my JOY (and my headache on occasion). LOVE THEM!

L: Life is not complete without... family, good friends, and the gospel of Jesus Christ

M: Marriage Date- August 4, 2000

N: Number of Brothers and Sisters- 2 brothers, 1 sister (all younger)

O: Oranges or apples- Satsuma mandarin Oranges... a little piece of heaven, yummmm!

P: Phobia or Fears- Tragic accident or illness to friends or family (especially my girls). I am kind of a worry wort when it comes to things relating to that.

Q: Quote- "Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile." -Albert Einstein

R: Reasons to smile- A clean house that has a few things on the wall and is FINALLY starting to feel like a home + leaving for Disney World/Disney cruise in 4 days!

S: Superman or wonder woman- Wonder woman, I guess?!

T: Tag 4 people- Gilen, April D, Kelli C, Alison F

U: Unknown Fact about me- I was Runner-up Miss Teen Oregon. This was back in the mid-nineties. I shudder to remember the hot pink dress and the big, big hair- all pictures are hidden deep in a place far, far away.

V: Vegetable- I LOVE (not all, but most) veggies. Broccoli and zucchini tie for my favorite.

W: Worst Habit- too many to list, but to name one... leaving clothes folded in baskets and not putting them away. I don't mind doing laundry, or even folding the clothes, but taking the next step and putting clothes away is one of my least favorite things to do- I don't know why it is so hard for me, but it is.

X: X-ray or ultrasound- ultrasound- I love getting ultrasounds when I am pregnant… it so exciting to get a little sneak peak of your growing baby!

Y: Your favorite food- Chips and salsa

Z: Zodiac Sign- Virgo

technologically inclined

I took Finley with me to my doctor's appointment for my ears the other day while Avery was at preschool. Finley was being a little finicky, so I gave her my "go to" distraction- my cell phone... that usually keeps her entertained for a good 5 minutes or so. She opened it up and got straight into the camera feature. She pointed the phone at this little old lady who had just sat down and said "CHEESE" clear as day. She continued to use this line on everyone in the office, since she got such a rousing response the first time. Finley is just a little sponge right now, soaking up everything she sees and hears. She is doing (or trying to do) everything that Avery does. She is also starting to say more and more words every day. She is getting closer to really walking too... I think if we had more carpet she would be off and running by now, but with the hardwood floors she is a little more cautious. She just amazes me! This age is so much fun- something new everyday!

Finley's 13 month word repertoire:

NO (a favorite of hers)

mama

dada

bye-bye

Avery (a-ree)

Bubba

DayDay

TeeTee (for Aunt Tiffany)

CHEESE

eye

nose

and a lot of babble that obviously means something to her, but no one else can quite understand yet.

The LONGEST 90 minute flight

Flying is awesome- I wouldn't drive on any long trips if I didn't have to. However, there are times when I seriously wonder if driving would have been faster and less frustrating. For example... Paul was originally supposed to fly home this evening- leave at 5 p.m. from Salt Lake, connect in L.A. and get into SLO around 8 p.m. Easy enough. Well, his conference got done (or he was done with it) ahead of schedule, so he thought he would try to get on an earlier flight. His new flight was supposed to leave Salt Lake at 11 and get in at noon. Avery was so excited- I told her that we would go get daddy at the airport as soon as I picked her up from school. She was sorely disappointed when we got a call that the flight had been delayed due to fog in San Luis- which if funny to me, because we were here looking at bright blue, beautifully clear skies?! Then I got a call that they were finally boarding. Then another call- 45 minutes later- to tell me they were sitting on the tarmack waiting while they made a repair on the plane. Yet another call to tell me they were being de-boarded and switched to another plane that had not yet arrived. Finally, (or so we thought) Paul called to let me know they were boarding the new plane and that we should head to the airport in an hour and a half or so. The time came for us to go pick him up. We got to the airport (which is VERY fortunately 2 minutes down the road from our house), got everyone out, only to find out that Paul's flight is not even listed on the arrivals board?! I was just about to go ask someone about it when Paul called- all I have to say at this point is... THANK HEAVENS for cell phones! Turns out that his plane had to make an EMERGENCY landing in Fresno due to faulty landing gear! I am just so glad I didn't know anything about it before he was safe on the ground (I am a little bit of a worry wort when it comes to things like that). He didn't know anything at that point other than they were going to try to fix the problem. I had to load the girls back in the car- with Avery screaming "NO CAR- I WANT DADDY! I WANT TO GET DADDY!" Trying to explain all of this to a 3 year old who wants her daddy is futile at best. Candy and a "show" in the car on the 2 minute drive home was the only thing that diffused the situation. Next call- the police and fire departments have to do and investigation, since it was an emergency landing- no idea how long it will take. Later... I have lost track of time at this point... Paul calls to let me know that they were now going to be put on a BUS for the 3 hour trip home. For any of you that know Paul, you can only imagine how furious he is at all of this! A trip from Utah that should have taken 90 minutes has now become a 10 hour ordeal! I know it takes 12 hours to drive (we just made that drive a few weeks ago)- that means he shaved a whole 2 hours off the trip! Or he could have just stuck with his original flight and gotten home at the same time! ARGGGGGGGGGGG! Oh well! It has been a test of patience if nothing else! Paul just called to let me know that they are almost here, so I have to get the girls in the car and FINALLY go pick up my husband- a task I have been trying to mark off my list ALL DAY!

I hate goodbyes

...my heart beats fast, my stomach ties in knots, I can't eat, I can't sleep, and I just can't focus on anything else. I think I can trace this phenomenon back to my days of bouncing back and forth between mom's house and dad's house (which my brothers and I did for the majority of my growing up years). It was always so difficult to say goodbye... I dreaded it. I was usually fine once we were out the door and on our way- just the leading up to and the actual act of saying goodbye caused me such terrible angst. In the past few days I had to say goodbye to my sister who had been visiting for spring break and then to Paul as he left for 4 short days to go to an appraisal conference in Utah. I found that I still react the same way leading up to a goodbye... in both situations I couldn't sleep the night before, I lost my appetite, I was walking around in a daze all day, my stomach was in knots, and my heart raced. Once they were each out of sight, I was ok. I understand if it were going to be a long separation, but all this over a quick little trip? I really am ok with Paul away- we are managing just fine (with the exception of the 5 o'clock witching hour- the girls are ready for a new face about that time every day and right now there isn't one walking through the door at 6. But, shortly after the melt down is bedtime- then I can breathe and we are good again.). So, apparently my anxiety is over the actual act of saying goodbye and not necessarily the separation. Does anyone else react this way, or am I just crazy!?