Almost halfway there!

Can you believe it? I will be 20 weeks 6 days from today... wow! Time is flying with this little man... and he is doing just great! I feel him move all the time now and he is just like his little sissy, quite the active man! We have another ultrasound on Wednesday and I cannot wait to see what he looks like since its been about 6 weeks since we've seen him last! We are in the process of decorating the nursery and have finally settled on a color scheme of lime green/navy. Brynn's room is lime green/pink so they will both have a little lime going on :) I cant wait to get started on it but we have a lot of work to do as far as clearing out his current room before we can get going... with only a few months left I suppose we should start that soon!

Ryan and I just got back from Puerto Vallarta, MX for a few days and we had a great time! We literally did, nothing. We slept, ate, slept some more, laid by the pool and slept... it felt like we had literally caught up on the past year of missed sleep we've had. Only to come home to sweet little Brynn waking up all night, it was our payback for leaving her I suppose. She hung with her Nana for 4 days and from what I've been told, they had a BLAST. She went to the park, swam in her little pool and just played all day!

Brynlee is doing fantastic. It is crazy to see how smart she is getting. Smarter and smarter each day. It's weird to think that just from 12 months to 15 months she has changed in so many ways. She is so much more toddler like now and repeats almost everything we say. We have had to start watching our words more and more because she is a pistol! She can probably say about 15-20 words now with literally new ones popping up every day. I'd have to say her all time favorite word is "baby". She always has one in her hand or one not too far away. She feeds them, rocks them, hugs and kisses them, and takes them with her everywhere she goes. She really is going to be a great big sister, I can already see it now, Brynlee feeding little Beckham. Such a good helper, I know it! She also loves to say "coco" which is her giant teddy bear. She says "hi coco" every morning when she wakes up and see's him and is the first thing she wants to do when we get home from work. She has slimmed down a ton as well! People really cant believe it when they see her! Oh and her hair.... the HAIR... it seriously KILLS me. It is so curly in the back! Little baby ringlets all over...so frickin cute! I cannot handle it. Her birthday she didnt have barely any curls... and now its like woah. I really didnt think in just three months she would blossom into such a fun, creative, smart little girl... but wow, she sure is nothing short of amazing. I cannot wait to see how she continues to grow!

I will try and do a little photodump of our trip and Brynn and the belly soon! Until next time...

Note to self... be a FUN mom!

I found this on another blog (once again)... I know I am a stealer but since I print my blogs at the end of every year I like to put things on here I want to remember... I loved this article on how to be a fun mom... and of course I want to be a fun mom! Who wouldnt want to be? I think I already tackle most of these items... like breaking the rules (Brynlee already gets a little ice cream when she is good for dessert right before bedtime, woops!) Turn on the tunes... we ALWAYS dance with her... and she is pretty good at on command "shake your booty" it almost never fails that she will shake her little butt! Oh and talking in silly voices? I have that mastered and Brynlee loves it. My favorite part of this was the note on how kids dont care or dont judge you, they look up to you and the more "fun" you have, the more they want to be around you. I want Brynlee and soon to be Beckham, to WANT to be around their mom and dad.. and to want to come to us in their lives... so note to self... be a FUN mom! Enjoy the read :)

#1 Way to be a FUN MOM- Spend time with your kids. That will make you the most fun mom on the planet!!!


Then...
Let Your Guard Down - RELAX!

Stop worrying about looking silly, sounding silly, or being perfect. Relax and smile. They are our kids, they are not judging us, just looking for us to love them and spend time with them. Living life up-tight, is not really living life.

Use Your Strengths - Be Yourself

I can fold a mean paper airplane and make a perfect cootie catcher. I shared this with our kids and they thought it was the coolest thing ever. It is a secret talent of mine. They thought I was so fun. I am also really good at cartwheels. Last week I demonstrated my cartwheel abilities to the kids. They were in awe. They are easy to please, but still. They thought I was fun. :) I am also pretty good in the kitchen, and can color a mean picture. I like to outline all the pictures and then color lighter inside the outline. The kids think that style is really cool.

It's not about what other moms are doing, or about doing it all. We don't have to be something we are not. Instead, look at your strengths and talents and use them to your advantage. What do/did you like to do? What are you good at?


I am not really comfortable talking in silly voices. I love the make believe and pretend, just not the silly changing of voices part. I always felt guilty because I didn't like talking silly with my kids. I shouldn't feel bad. So it's not one of my strengths. I have lots of other strengths. It's okay.

Use your talents, even if they are off the wall, goofy or silly.


Be Spontaneous-Break the Rules

Do something out of the ordinary. Read extra books at bed time, have hot chocolate after teeth are brushed, stay up to watch a movie, an unplanned trip to the park, let your child have a bowl of cereal before bed, eat dessert first, jump on the couch. Say yes when you would normally say no. It's okay.

What can you do today, that is unexpected?

Follow Along

Watch what your kids are doing, and follow along. Play house, color, swing, chase around the house. Follow their lead, and not only will they think you are fun, but you will really have fun. Are they acting silly, then act silly. We sometimes worry about what we are going to do with our kids. No worries, they will take care of that part for us.

Turn on the Tunes - Dance

Want to be more fun? Move. Dance. Jive. Boogie. Unlike our friends in high school, Kids don't judge your dance moves. They don't care.

I have made it a secret goal this year to dance with at least one of our kids everyday. (Guess it's not a secret anymore). Yesterday I danced with our 8 month old in my arms in front of the mirror. She loved it! Today I grabbed our daughters arms and started to twirl her in the kitchen. When my husband came home tonight, she ran to him to tell him how much fun we had dancing around.

When was the last time you danced with your kids?

Don't Multitask

Want to be more fun? Stop trying to do more than one thing at a time. Being with our children becomes frustrating when we are also trying to make dinner, check Pinterest, and fold laundry. All of a sudden, it feels like our kids are hindering us from what we are trying to do and we don't enjoy our time together. That isn't very fun. One thing at a time.

Say "Yes"

As mom's we can find ourselves saying "no" an awful lot. That doesn't make us very fun. "No's" are necessary, but we should try to say "yes" as much as we can. This is hard for me. "Mom, can I have another piece of gum?" I want to say no. They don't need it, they already had one, it isn't necessary. BUT... will it really hurt if they have a second piece sometimes? Of course not.

Sometimes I have an agenda, that I feel is the best, and our kids want to do things in a different order, and I want to say "No". Fact of the matter, does the order really matter? Usually it doesn't. So think about the 90/10 rule and apply it to "yes and no." Can you say "yes" 90% of the time?


What can you say "yes" to today?

Laugh

Laughter is great medicine. Want your kids to think you are really fun? Laugh with them. Having trouble laughing? Put a smile on your face for starters. You will be more fun when you smile, and then you will laugh.



I often have the thought, "I can't have fun with you, because then things won't get done around here". Nothing could be farther from the truth. When I have fun with our kids, more gets done, I feel better and so do they. And...they are more likely to help with a willing attitude which lightens my load.



Now, let's all go be FUN MOMS.

Rules for Mothers of Daughters

I ran across this post via Pinterest and I couldnt help but repost. I chocked up a bit reading it and I really am going to live by these words. Brynlee, I hope I can always be the best mom to you... until the end of time! 

 

Rules for Mothers of Daughters.

1. Paint her nails. Then let her scratch it off and dirty them up. Teach her to care about her appearance, and then quickly remind her that living and having fun is most important.

2. Let her put on your makeup, even if it means bright-red-smudged lips and streaked-blue eyes. Let her experiment in her attempts to be like you…then let her be herself. 

3. Let her be wild. She may want to stay home and read books on the couch, or she may want to hop on the back of a motorcycle-gasp. She may be a homebody or a traveler. She may fall in love with the wrong boy, or meet mr. right at age 5. Try to remember that you were her age once. Everyone makes mistakes, let her make her own.

4. Be present. Be there for her at her Kindergarten performances, her dance recitals, her soccer games…her everyday-little-moments. When she looks through the crowds of people, she will be looking for your smile and pride. Show it to her as often as possible.

5. Encourage her to try on your shoes and play dress-up. If she would rather wear her brother’s superman cape with high heals, allow it. If she wants to wear a tutu or dinosaur costume to the grocery store, why stop her? She needs to decide who she is and be confident in her decision.


6. Teach her to be independent. Show her by example that woman can be strong. Find and follow your own passions. Search for outlets of expression and enjoyment for yourself- not just your husband or children.  Define yourself by your own attributes, not by what others expect you to be. Know who you are as a person, and help your daughter find out who she is.

 7. Pick flowers with her. Put them in her hair. There is nothing more beautiful than a girl and a flower.

8. Let her get messy. Get messy with her, no matter how much it makes you cringe inside. Splash in the puddles, throw snowballs, make mud pies, finger paint the walls: just let it happen. The most wonderful of memories are often the messy ones.

9. Give her good role models- you being one of them. Introduce her to successful woman- friends, co-workers, doctors, astronauts, or authors.  Read to her about influential woman- Eleanor Roosevelt, Rosa Parks, Marie Curie. Read her the words of inspirational woman- Jane Austen, Sylvia Plath, Emily Dickinson. She should know that anything is possible.

10. Show her affection. Daughters will mimic the compassion of their mother. “I love yous” and Eskimo kisses go a long way.

11. Hold her hand. Whether she is 3 years-old in the parking lot or sixteen years old in the mall, hold on to her always- this will teach her to be confident in herself and proud of her family.

12. Believe in her. It is the moments that she does not believe in herself that she will need you to believe enough for both of you. Whether it is a spelling test in the first grade, a big game or recital, a first date, or the first day of college…remind her of the independent and capable woman you have taught her to be.

13. Tell her how beautiful she is. Whether it is her first day of Kindergarten, immediately after a soccer game where she is grass-stained and sweaty, or her wedding day. She needs your reminders. She needs your pride. She needs your reassurance. She is only human.
 

14. Love her father. Teach her to love a good man, like him. One who lets her be herself…she is after all wonderful.

15. Make forts with boxes and blankets. Help her to find magic in the ordinary, to imagine, to create and to believe in fairy tales. Someday she will make her 5 by 5 dorm-room her home with magic touches and inspiration. And she will fall in love with a boy and believe him to be Prince Charming.

16. Read to her. Read her Dr. Seuss and Eric Carle. But also remember the power of Sylvia Plath and Robert Frost. Show her the beauty of words on a page and let her see you enjoy them. Words can be simply written and simply spoken, yet can harvest so much meaning. Help her to find their meaning.

17. Teach her how to love- with passion and kisses. Love her passionately. Love her father passionately and her siblings passionately. Express your love. Show her how to love with no restraint. Let her get her heart broken and try again. Let her cry, and gush, giggle and scream. She will love like you love or hate like you hate. So, choose love for both you and her.

18. Encourage her to dance and sing. Dance and sing with her- even if it sounds or looks horrible.  Let her wiggle to nursery rhymes. Let her dance on her daddy's feet and spin in your arms. Then later, let her blast noise and headbang in her bedroom with her door shut if she wants. Or karaoke to Tom Petty in the living room if she would rather. Introduce her to the classics- like The Beatles- and listen to her latest favorite- like Taylor Swift. Share the magic of music together, it will bring you closer- or at least create a soundtrack to your life together.

19. Share secrets together. Communicate. Talk. Talk about anything. Let her tell you about boys, friends, school. Listen. Ask questions. Share dreams, hopes, concerns. She is not only your daughter, you are not only her mother. Be her friend too.

20. Teach her manners. Because sometimes you have to be her mother, not just her friend. The world is a happier place when made up of polite words and smiles.

21. Teach her when to stand-up and when to walk away. Whether she has classmates who tease her because of her glasses, or a boyfriend who tells her she is too fat- let her know she does not have to listen. Make sure she knows how to demand respect- she is worthy of it. It does not mean she has to fight back with fists or words, because sometimes you say more with silence. Also make sure she knows which battles are worth fighting. Remind her that some people can be mean and nasty because of jealousy, or other personal reasons. Help her to understand when to shut her mouth and walk-away. Teach her to be the bigger -the better- person.

22. Let her choose who she loves. Even when you see through the charming boy she thinks he is, let her love him without your disapproving words: she will anyway. When he breaks her heart, be there for her with words of support rather than I told-you-so. Let her mess up again and again until she finds the one. And when she finds the one, tell her.

23. Mother her. Being a mother—to her—is undoubtedly one of your greatest accomplishments. Share with her the joys of motherhood, so one day she will want to be a mother too. Remind her over and over again with words and kisses that no one will ever love her like you love her. No one can replace or replicate a mother’s love for their children.

24. Comfort her. Because sometimes you just need your mommy. When she is sick, rub her back, make her soup and cover her in blankets- no matter how old she is. Someday, if she is giving birth to her own child, push her hair out of her face, encourage her, and tell her how beautiful she is. These are the moments she will remember you for. And someday when her husband rubs her back in attempt to comfort her...she may just whisper, "I need my mommy."

25. Be home. When she is sick with a cold or broken heart, she will come to you: welcome her. When she is engaged or pregnant, she will run to you to share her news: embrace her. When she is lost or confused, she will search for you: find her. When she needs advice on boys, schools, friends or an outfit: tell her. She is your daughter and will always need a safe harbor- where she can turn a key to see comforting eyes and a familiar smile: be home.

To my daughter- I promise to always "be home" for you.

It's a.....

And we couldnt be more excited! Our sweet baby Beckham is doing great and looked amazing! I love watching him grow. I am so grateful to be able to experience the best of both worlds and know what its like to have a mama's boy! I would of loved for Brynlee to have a sister but a little brother will be just as awesome, I know it! We are teaching Brynn how to say brother and Beckham... she is picking up words so quick these days, we figure those can be the next two! Ryan was showing her brother to my belly last name and she was digging her finger in my belly button... maybe she was trying to feel him?? Haha! Silly girl :)

Anyways, we had the name Beckham picked out for quite a while. Its not a family name or have any background to it, we just simply loved the name! Brynlee and Beckham, our two little loves for the rest of time! We can't wait! :)

Worst blogger ever...

Let me start out by saying, I always have the best intentions to write a post, and then life gets busy and things happen, and it gets pushed to tomorrow... and tomorrow.. and tomorrow...

And that is WHY you never hear from me! So I'm sorry to all my fellow followers and bloggers out there.

I feel so guilty partially because with Brynlee I was blogging about each week (or most) of pregnancy, and all I have done so far for this babe is announce that were expecting. I also keep getting requests about weekly pictures for this babe in the belly, which I am not doing this time around either. But I do plan to take a monthly picture so more on that to come, I promise!

Everyone always told me that with the second baby, I wont do all these crazy things. And so far, they are right, haha! Its hard! One thing I really do plan to do is to take at least a monthly picture and make this babe a quilt as well. So they can both have quilts made from their mama.

So there you have it, I may win horrible mother award (only kidding) but I am TRYING. Having a baby and carrying another baby is challenging and will only get more challenging, but I am up for the challenge to say the least!

So far this pregnancy has been exactly the same as Brynlee. First trimester I felt nothing but nauseous for 8 straight weeks. I am glad to say that I think that is behind me! The last 2 weeks have been a lot better! We went for our 12 week ultrasound and everything looked awesome! Perfect little heartbeat! And the boy/girl was hyper as can be, bouncing all around. The jolly rancher pre-ultrasound didnt help I am sure :) With Brynn we were able to find out her gender then, but this baby was giving us no shot whatsoever of the goods! The nurse said at first glance, she thinks its a girl, but isnt sure enough for us to tell our family/friends. We should know next Thursday, fingers crossed!

Other than all of that business and excuses of why I havent blogged lately, life has been great. Brynlee is walking like a maniac, saying Baby, Mama, Dada, Uh-oh, Thank you, No, Yes, and Bunny. She signs more, finished/all done, play and of course no. She is fully transitioned to whole milk and sippy cup, so the bottles have been store for baby #2- this was a huge relief to put those things away. So nice! She eats pretty much everything under the sun but if she could eat fruit all day everyday, she would. She loves every single fruit she has tried including mangoes being one of her favorite, and raspberries! But bananas take the crown, she eats one almost every day. We are still working on vegetables and almost any kind of meat. Work in progress! :)

I will try and get better at blogging, I promise! In the meantime I hope you enjoyed a little update! :)

In case you hadn't heard...

The news is true, we are expecting another sweet pea this fall! I always wanted a spring and fall baby and life is sure shaping up to go that way! This baby will most likely complete our family and we cannot wait to meet him/her in October! The babies will be 20 months apart and after meeting many people with kids close to that age gap, it seems to be perfect!

Brynlee cannot WAIT to be a big sister!

How is it possible?

How is it possible that I have a ONE year old? Where has the last year gone? Where has my baby gone?

I cant believe she is ONE and it has been the best year of my life! Having Brynlee in our life has been the biggest blessing. When people say your life changes when you have a kid, they are 100% RIGHT. But it changes for all the right reasons. I would never trade being a mom for anything. I would never trade it to go back to the life I had before her... going out to bars, going to the movies whenever I wanted, picking up and leaving for a spontaneous trip.... nope, shes worth it.

We celebrated her 1st birthday this weekend and boy, was it the best weekend EVER. Ryan and I took Friday and Monday off and I was so thankful that we did. We dont get much time with her during the week, so having 4 days in a row with her was amazing.

Friday we took her to the Mesa Childrens Youth Museum. She had a blast! She loved exploring and her favorite was the giant lite brite wall along with the magnets, she was so curious about the magnets and how they would pull together. She is going to be a smart cookie, I know it!

Saturday we had her big 1st birthday party! It turned out amazing and everyone that showed up seemed to have a great time! The weather was perfect, the scenery, the setup, just everything. I was happy with the outcome to say the very least. I also gave her, her one year quilt that I made for her from all her weekly photo fabric. It is such a special gift to me and her! We hired a photographer and should have her photos back soon but I did get a sneak peak at some that I will share!

My cute girl! Love her little toofies

Diva on her birthday!

She loved the cake!!!

Its my party and I'll cry if I want to!

Sunday we headed to the renaissance festival with Nana and Nonno to celebrate her actual birthday, and she had a blast! She was so into it and smiled the entire time. She loved the WyldMen show the best. She was cracking up the whole show! Sunday evening we had my family over for a pizza party, and ate left over cupcakes and had ice cream. Brynlee stuffed an entire cupcake straight into her mouth. I guess she liked it?! :)

Monday we did NOTHING, we simply relaxed. Brynn played with her new toys all day, and sat in her favorite present, her new big girl chair/ottoman!

We seriously had the best weekend and coming back to work was very very hard. I am happy to support our family and I know I would never be able to give her the weekend we did, if I didnt work. So I deal with what I have, and am ever so THANKFUL for what we can give her. I dont want to say she is "spoiled" because we are not trying to raise her that way, but we are very thankful that we are able to give her everything she wants/deserves, and I hope that it can continue for years to come!

Having a one year old is a whole NEW ball game now..... and I am not used to it yet. The whole transition to milk/sippy cups completely weirds me out. She isnt a fan of the sippy quite yet, but she will be soon, because its her only option! She only gets her bottle at bed time now so she will have to learn to make it work :)

We are headed to Cali next week to visit some amazing friends and spend some much needed time relaxing by the beach and the pool! Woo hoo!