Happy Halloween!

Some of the tricks and treats leading up to tonight...hope your day is spooktacular!

Fall Photos

A little late but we finally received our photos from a mini photo session I took the kids to the first weekend of September. The photographer emailed me the proofs a few days later and there they sat in my SPAM folder. This busy mama didn't realize it until like two weeks ago! Oops!! It was a fun little shoot at a baby boutique by us and the store owner is using the picture of Jackson and Riley in her store. She gave me a gift certificate in exchange which I quickly used on new Aden & Anais burpy bibs and Trumpette socks--both I am obsessed with and highly recommend. Any must haves you recommend to fellow mommies?

P.S. Riley is a few days shy of seven months in these photos which means Jackson is 3 1/2 so I counted these as her six month photos :)

Pumpkins!

We went to the local Pumpkin Patch this year because Jackson is going on a field trip tomorrow to Bates Nut Farm and the weather over the weekend was not very fallish. We only lasted 45 minutes because I failed to give Jackson a snack before and when he hasn't eaten in a couple of hours he becomes a grouch. Even with ponies, rides, and pumpkins galore. He had a verbal warning from me that we would leave if he acted up again after he pounded on Sierra's back trying to get his attention. 15 minutes later...After trying to get a family picture from another family, Jackson thought it would be a good idea to kick hay on one of the other family's daughters. Hay got all over her pretty tutu and I felt like they were thinking our son was the worst kid ever. He apologized but the consequence was we had to leave. Boy was he mad. I was so thankful we hadn't made the trek up to Bates! Riley, of course, was a perfect pumpkin and was happy to get out of the super bright sun and into the car where she quickly fell asleep as it was her nap time. I really don't like her taking car naps, though, because unlike her brother, she doesn't transfer to her bed. We will need to go back to the Patch because we still have tickets and no pumpkins besides the ones I already bought from Trader Joe's. Never a dull moment in this house!

Baby Sumo?

As I was getting Riley ready for bed tonight (early since she decided a ten minute morning nap was all she needed until 2 pm), I kept rearranging her diaper. You know how sometimes it isn't perfectly centered and the diaper looks like a thong? Well that was happening until I realized the sticky tabs just wouldn't pull anymore...it's time to move to Pampers Swaddlers SIZE 4. I especially love these with a girl baby because her wet diapers go to the back a lot and the front looks and feels dry...but that little blue line helps! Um yeah that was the last size diaper Jackson wore before potty training. SIGH!!!

Rain!!!

We barely made it home from a walk to the park this morning when raindrops started falling on our heads! Jackson AKA Mini Meteorologist was prepared in his light jacket and rain boots. Little sister refused to wear her hat. Riley woke up from her nap at the end of the mini storm on 10-11-12.

The rain helped us slow down and just enjoy being home. I think naps are always better on rainy days as well--something about the dark skies that keeps the kids snuggled up a bit longer than usual.

Busy Day

I was up by 5:30 this morning and Sierra was already at work. I prepped dinner for later and once Jackson was up at 6:45am, the day began. I wish I could bottle his energy and drink some!

We met Jackson's very special friend, Celeste, after Riley's morning nap which she is now moving to 10:30 a.m. -- maybe it's her way of saying two naps is ok? Miss Celeste will be four next week which is incredible because it feels like I was just meeting her for the first time at a couple weeks old with Jack in his womb. We can't make it to her party so instead we spent some time with the big mouse at Chuckster's. This was the first time Jackson could climb up the play enclosure by himself AND play most games without any help from mom! Hooray to this milestone of independence! Riley kept herself cozy in the Ergo as Celeste and Max's mommy, Skye, and I actually had a few uninterrupted minutes to talk! Phew! If you have never been to Chuck E. Cheese during the week you are missing a whole new world.

After a quick trip to Babies R Us for another baby gate (stairs) and Target for a cake pop, Starbucks, and returns (I am the queen of returns), we headed home with two...well three...tired Izzards. Two fell asleep in the car. Luckily the driver did not. We mustered up some energy later for some baking -- Fall is here so that means Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies -- and enjoyed a beautiful sunset while they cooled. What baking treat reminds you of Fall?

Rah! Rah! Riley!

Riley is wearing her third outfit this season...this one I purchased a month before her birth -- before we knew we had a little girl! Couldn't resist a Babies R Us clearance! I think her outfits are bringing them good luck this season! Except for tonight...

See how she grabs Jackson's hair? They both love it!

Riley is 8 months old!

Wowthatwasfast! During her seventh month Riley started crawling, pulling up and cruising on everything (her favorite being mommy and daddy's legs), added "mama" to her words, sprouted her first two teeth, had her first cold, ate mama's spaghetti and meat sauce, had her first days away from mama (jack's most ever, too - 3 nights), lost her beloved Biscuit, became better friends with Abby (she likes having her fur grabbed), and tried to crawl down the stairs (I caught her). She is more daring than Big Bro and a lot more mobile than he was, too. We love her just the same! She also started waving hello a lot more and can clap. She does a little bouncy dance and happy noise when she is really excited (usually involves milk). Baby Girl still nurses every 2-2.5 hours except of course at night. 11-12 hours of bedtime sleep and three naps a day with the longest being 1.5 hours.

Riley also started her own class this month with me. While Jackson is at pre school on Wednesdays we go to a sweet mommy and me music class. It only took her three classes to figure out she should crawl up to the teacher at the end to say good bye. So sweet! She loves music!

Now that the weather is feeling less summery I have been using the Ergo a lot. So happy she still enjoys it because it gives me hands to play with Jackson while keeping her close to me.

Riley started wearing a hip "cruiser" at bedtime (12 hours) to hopefully get her right hip to move three more degrees. This seems to be more comfortable than the Pavlik Harness. It is less restrictive and she figured out how to flip herself over and crawl in her bed by the second night. She is a belly sleeper or side sleeper without a cruiser on. We go back at the end of November to see if both hips are perfect.

Last night the three babies were in dreamland by 8 p.m. Sierra works really long days--usually gone at least 12 hours and by Friday we all are exhausted. I am so fortunate to be home this year with the kiddos full time to see how they change literally overnight. Having experienced part time working mom, full time working mom, and full time SAHM, I believe all are challenging--being a Mom is the hardest but BEST "job" there is no matter what hours you work or where you work because you are always on duty, 24/7.