Wow - what a fun and busy last 2 weeks we've had. My dad retired after 39 years of working at the community college in Santa Maria. What an accomplishment! Talk about dedication. We celebrated amongst friends and family - with a few beers and a delicious tri-tip bbq, it was just what my dad had ordered.

Jim had to leave on a work related trip to New Mexico for a week, so the girls and I decided to stay in SM for the week. Oh how a week flies by. Miss S was busy with all her cousins, and Baby S got spoiled by her Pop who held her the majority of the time. These little girls learn quick, that if you just fuss a little, Pop will pick you up and hold you until your little heart is content.

We all came home for one day, did lots of laundry and repacked for 4 days in Newport Beach, courtesy of my parents. Oh the life! The Marriott Newport Coast Villas are amazing! Miss S swam and swam and then swam some more. She can now officially keep herself above water and swim from point A to B. Baby S napped poolside and trucked along with us on a venture to the beach and mall. We had a great time relaxing, sipping our drinks, and gazing from our lounge chairs out at the Pacific Ocean. Not to mention, we got rocked by a 5.7 earthquake! It was 926pm, both girls were asleep, and we were all watching "The Bachelorette", when suddenly the chandelier starting swaying, Baby S' swing started rocking, and it felt as though we were out in the middle of the ocean on a small boat. It made me feel car sick and dizzy. Mother Nature is amazing, but she sure scares the heck out of me! You just never know what is going to happen.

Now back at home after almost 2 weeks on the road. Miss S is a tan "brown bear", Baby S is back on her routine, Jim is back to work, and I'm trying to get reorganized and cleaned up around here. Cheers!

"How do you get this job"???

My fabulous husband and wonderful father to two little girls! There is nothing he loves more than to come home from work and have all the sweetness two little girls bring, sitting on his lap. A proud father indeed! He is a very loved man by three lucky "ladies"!

2 Months

Wow! Baby S is 2 months old today - pretty unbelievable. She is an absolute doll. I love her spunky dark hair that sticks straight up, her baby smell, and her cute smiles she now gives on a regular basis. Last night she went to bed at 8:15pm, slept until 3:10am, and didn't wake again until 8am!!! Of course I was up at 6:30am wondering when and why she wasn't awake yet, but to my surprise she just kept sleeping. So let this be the beginning...hopefully...to some longer stretches of sleep. Happy 2 months to you Baby S.

Little Miss Gymnist

She loves it! Today Little Miss insisted on wearing this pink leotard that she got from Grandma Patt when she was 1 - so need I say, it was much too small! But she was happy and ecstatic to be at gymnastics class. Whatever makes you happy darling!

Off you go...

Goodbye bassinet, hello big girl crib.

This bassinet belongs to a very good friend of mine, and has been home to many sweet and special little newborn babies, including Big Sister S. I think baby S is the 5th baby to come home from the hospital to this beautiful bassinet. Thank you Leah!
Last night was the first night Baby S slept in her crib in her own room. After 7+ weeks of having her right next to me in the bassinet, I decided it was time to move her to her room. We actually got to turn on our TV and watch the 10 o'clock news in bed last night. I will miss her little noises right beside me, but I'm hoping this will start to bring us back to a little more normalcy. She's growing SO fast it almost makes me sad. At 6 weeks old she started smiling - talk about the best Mother's Day gift ever. She now makes complete eye contact and will smile and coo when we talk to her. She is a peaceful baby. She likes to be held and swaddled, she cries when she's hungry and tired, but is otherwise a very happy little doll. During the day she eats about every 3 hours, but has gone as long as 6 1/2 hours during middle of the night feedings! We're hoping Baby S sleeps through the night a lot sooner than Miss S!!!

May 9, 2010

My first Mother's Day as a mother of two beautiful girls!

What a blessing! Numerous times throughout the day I had tears in my eyes (hormones? maybe!) but the joy these girls bring to me cannot be put in words.

I am very thankful for my healthy and precious daughters,

and very proud to call myself their mother!

Happy Mother's Day!

Miss S had a very special 3rd birthday with family and friends. On her birthday she chose the days events. So we went to the park of course, and had lunch at Red Robin. We let her splurge and have strawberry lemonade, a grilled cheese, and a birthday sundae to top it off. She was in heaven!

At 3 years old, she weighs almost 40 pounds and is just under 40 inches tall (3 feet, 3 1/2 inches). She loves to play dress-up, kitchen, and pretend like she is a teacher. Her imagination is quite creative. Markers, coloring, and paint are some of her favorite things. If I get out a birthday card for someone, she is right beside me ready to decorate it. She is very picky about what she wears each day, and outfits can be a battle for mom and dad. Not to mention that she usually can't stay in one outfit all day - that would be to simple. She's a girl, and she likes to pick her own outfits and change about three times each day. She enjoys playing outside, riding her new bike she got for her 3rd birthday, watering the flowers, and playing in her sandbox. Music, singing and dancing are everyday entertainment too. She is very musically inclined and seems to enjoy instruments and making up her own songs.

These are just a few of the things we love about you!

Happy Birthday to my big 3 year-old!!! and her little 1 month-old sissy!

Some of my hospital visitors

Very proud big sister!

Proud daddy and uncle Jeff

Aunt Jaime

Aunt Pamela and Leslie

Great Grandma Joseph

Poppy and Grandma Patt

Grandma Laura and Pop

My little doll

2 weeks and 2 days, and I'm in love. We're all in love with her. Every morning, the first thing S says is, "can I give sister a kiss". So cute, I can't even put it into words. What a heart warming feeling to see the love between my daughters!

At this point so far, she is a good baby. She still sleeps a lot (almost all day), but she seems to know the difference between night and day. We are up twice in the middle of the night for feedings and diaper change, but this time around it seems to go much quicker. Is it because maybe we have things figured out a bit more with baby #2? With baby #1 the whole process took longer, we were extra cautious, and by the time we got back in bed it seemed like we had to get up again. So maybe we are a bit more experienced this time - cheers to us!

We just love her to pieces, from her long little toes to the top of her spiky, long, full head of dark hair! She is our doll baby!!

She took her first out of town trip already and headed to Santa Maria at only 9 days old (something we probably never would have done with #1, but again, we're experienced now, right!). My grandpa Harris' health took a turn for the worst, and we knew we wanted him to meet baby S before it was too late. We loaded up and off we went as a family of four. Both girls did great on the 3-hour car ride, and when we arrived we had a crowd waiting on the front steps of my parents house -everyone anxiously waiting to see baby S (and Miss S too). We had planned on staying 1-2 nights, but with my moms help and all Miss S' cousins to keep her busy, we ended up staying 3 nights.

Great Grandpa and Grandma Harris

Great Grandma and Grandpa Lutz

Happy Easter from my two precious girls!

Happy Easter - 5 days old

Having fun coloring Easter eggs.