Calm before the storm

So far so good on my New Years Resolution!  I am actually going to update everyone on February's happenings. Granted we are really only one or two months in but so far so good!

February is basically the calm before the storm as March and April are CRAZY months with activities scheduled every weekend, sometimes back to back on a day, and sometimes both days.  Don't ask me when I'll be able to laundry, go to the grocery store, clean and what not but it'll be figured out soon enough.

I'm sure there will be some things we did in February that I've forgotten about but for the most part it was pretty low key.  One constant activity is Keira's gymnastics class that we enrolled her in this past January.  She absolutely LOVES it and I can already see improvement in her strength and ability to do certain things.  We always practice our bear crawl and donkey kicks at home and Keira absolutely loves the beam and long trampoline.  She's also a fan of the bars where she does her baskets.  Girl is pretty darn strong and after about 8 classes can now hang on and pull her toes all the way up to the bar and hang for 5 seconds without any assistance.  I always have my hand there just in case but she is seriously strong.  She also tries to throw in a pull up here and there when we do different moves, but she still needs assistance on those.  I've also seen her try doing baskets at our playground (not on a bar) as well as on our coffee table and her new kitchen tower.  Girl loves her baskets.  As much as I love hanging out with my girl on Saturday mornings at gymnastics I look forward to the day she can do her own class, but then it'll almost be time for Leila so then it starts again. 

We also had our annual SuperBowl party which was fun as usual.  We love having our friends over to party and watch the big game.  The more the merrier is our theory.  There was lots of good food, good drinks, and good friends to hang out with.  Also, there were lots of kids to play and entertain each other.  Also, I have to give a shout out to Beyonce's halftime show because she pretty much rocked it! 

Another one of my New Years resolutions is to do something active at least 5 times a week.  It's been a slow start, but one activity I've found that definitely takes up one of those days is Pure Barre.  It is amazing!!  I absolutely hate working out but I look forward to this workout each week.  Of course there are multiple offerings throughout the week but most don't really work for me at this time so I can really only commit regularly to Sundays.  If you have one near you I recommend checking it out.  It is very low impact and isolated moves but man do you get your heart rate up, body burning, and you feel good sore the next day like you've worked all the right spots.

Now for the fun stuff, which is talking about the girls. 

 3 months (2/8/13)

Leila is almost 4 months old now!  Wow, where does time go?  She's getting so active and has been rolling over from front to back for about a month now.  She's also very smiley like Keira was but she also has a bit of a temper when things don't go her way.  It's like 0 to 60 in a millisecond.  She also hates the carseat.  Neither of our girls have liked to carseat which kind of sucks because when you are going somewhere with a screaming baby in the back it's not pleasant. Granted, she's gotten a bit better so she doesn't cry every time she's in it but she has her moments.  None of which are pleasant.  Also, she is sleeping longer which is great.  We've found her 'sweet spot' of when she likes to go to bed and that's between 6P and 7P depending on when she woke up from her last nap.  She proceeds to sleep until anywhere between 3A & 5A and then after I feed her she goes right back down to anywhere between 6A & 7A.  She does sometimes wake in the middle of the night and need her pacifier put back in but for the most part we are getting more sleep which is glorious!  However, those nights when I have to get up multiple times to put in her pacifier do take a toll. I can't wait until she can find the paci on her own and put it in though she's still not a big fan of it anyway. Scott really needs to do some double paci training right now.  Leila also loves being in her jumperoo now and of course loves mat time, tummy time, and has been enjoying some time in her Bumbo as she gets stronger every day.

Keira with Mr. Potato Head's glasses

Keira is quite the character.  I feel like every age has been my favorite as she grows and learns and discovers new things, but seriously this is my most favorite age yet.  She absolutely loves her little sister and likes to hold her, and huge her, and kiss her.  My favorite is when she has a conversation with Leila and gets so giddy with excitement when Leila smiles at her when she's talking.  I also love when she tries teaching Leila things like colors, letters or whatever it is she has in her hand at that moment.  Keira was playing in her kitchen and brought a bowl over and had to tell Leila what it was.  "Leila, bowl!"  Leila was extremely intrigued by that bowl.  She's also so funny and she'll tell you.  "Keira funny!"  I thought it was pretty funny/cute when she found a velvet like case that has a pen in it and for some reason decided it was a brush.  So she went to Koa and brushed him with it and then went to Roxy and brushed her with it.  She then went on to tell me, "Roxy pretty." "Koa pretty." "Keira pretty." I definitely had to agree with that.  So far girl definitely has some self-confidence.  I'm sure it helps that we are always telling her how super cute or pretty she is.  I mean, can you blame us?  She is freaking adorable!  She is especially adorable when she is singing the songs she learns at school.  Sometimes she wants to sing them by herself for us and other times she wants us to join in.  She will definitely let us know what mood she's in at that time. 

Keira has gotten a bit bossy as well so we are trying to make sure she is at least bossy in a polite way by adding please to her demands.  We will usually say "how do you ask?" And then she adds in please.  Here are some of her latest demands and sayings:

• "Mommy do it" - when she's not feeling like doing something she tells us to do it.  Most times I tell her to do it herself but to ultimately avoid a tantrum sometimes I give in.  Gotta do what you gotta do.
• "Mommy get it"
• "Mommy move"
• "No way" is my favorite because instead of just 'no' she has to say "no way."
• To dogs: "Move," "sit down," "come here" - they don't generally listen but she'll get there
• "Daddy, over there" while pointing - when he joined her for breakfast at her table she told him to basically go to his table (the main kitchen table) as that was mommy's chair.  That's right, girl! You tell him.  Of course that meant I then had to join her at the small table
• "Help" or "Helper" - when she thinks you need help with something or just wants to come with you.  She is quite the helper too especially with Scott and the yard work. 
• "No Keira do it" - she is quite the independent lady and wants to do things on her own. When she realizes she can't do certain things she then asks for "help."

It amazes me how much she is growing on a daily basis.  She's really not our little baby girl anymore.  *tear*  One big example is that she has used the potty several times.  She has been talking about pee and poop for about 6 months and has to always check her stuffed animals to see if they've pooped but she's been more interested in the actual toilet as well.  We aren't actively potty training her but if she tells us she has to go and she wants to use the potty we don't discourage it.  We don't think she's fully ready yet, but definitely soon.  And the nice thing is that it seems like she will be pretty easy to potty train.  She knows when she has to go and tells us.  This past weekend she went on the toilet multiple times each day.  She gets so excited when she hears the pee come out.  She's also a bit of a voyeur as you are not able to go to the bathroom without her "helping" you and sitting on her stool or getting in the shower while you pee.  It's a pretty good time with her in there and then Koa standing in the doorway staring as well.  Nothing like a captive audience.

The dogs scoping out the hail/snow in our yard from the storm

Roxy & Koa are still the best big brother and sister ever.  They antagonize Keira and get up in her business all the time, which is their job, and they love to play with her.  They are also extremely attentive to Leila in case she spits up and we need their assistance cleaning up.  Dogs definitely come in handy for cleaning up messes whether they are spit up, food on the floor, etc.  They love their 'babies.'

So I'm sure you're over this novel.  I will be back again next month to update you on the craziness that is our lives in March!  Part of this craziness will include our little lady turning 2!!!

Always loving on our sister

 

Our Valentine's cuties