Happy 3rd Birthday, Lexi-Lulu!

Where has the time GONE? Seriously, I cannot believe that my Alexis is three years old! 

3rd birthday - 2011

2nd Birthday - 2010 

1st birthday - 2009

1 day old - 2008

For her birthday, June 22nd, we kept things pretty mellow. Grandma Kay was here for the week to help out with the girls, so she got to celebrate with us on Wednesday night and stay with Emma during the day so I could take Lexi out for a special day. 

After Lexi (finally) woke up on her birthday , we went out shopping in the morning. For lunch, Lexi got a special treat - she LOVES Sonic chicken strips and I was an awesome mom and let her have a chocolate shake with her lunch

. 

After her nap, I took her to the pool for an hour.  (I know she looks like she's pouting, but she just didn't want to have her picture taken - she was having a good day, I promise!)

That night we had cherry-vanilla cupcakes that Lexi and I had made earlier. Lexi is really good at making cupcakes. 

The "special plate" is a long-standing Dunaway family tradition. Growing up, if it was your birthday or a special occasion, you got to eat off the "special plate" at dinner. My sister gave Paul and I our own as a wedding present. 

On Saturday, we continued the birthday celebration by taking Lexi to Build-a-Bear. She LOVED it and we LOVED watching her pick out her special bear. In true Lexi-naming-style, the bear's name started off as Bell, then became Tinkerbell, but seems to have finally settled on Toby (which is a darling name, but I'm not sure the name and the dress really go, what do you think?)

AND Lexi's 3 year checkup stats:

height: 37.5 inches - 51st percentile
weight: 32 pounds - 60th percentile

Father's Day 2011

Happy Father's Day! 

We kept things pretty low-key around the Holding House for Father's Day this year. Emma Josephine (or Emma Jelly-Beans as Lexi calls her) decided she needed to be up from 2 a.m. until 5 a.m. that morning and that kept the rest of us up as well. Mommy and Daddy took shifts trying to persuade the little lady to sleep, and Lexi showed her displeasure by getting up to slam her door closed around 4 a.m. (I don't blame her. I'm not one for having my sleep messed with, either!)

So Sunday morning (late Sunday morning) we had breakfast and took the girls to the pool. It was a perfect day and there was a breeze and lots of shade for Emma to hang out in.

I found this awesome website (Tiny Prints) and had this card made for Paul from the girls:

And just because they are cutie-pies: 

Emma 

5 1/2 weeks

 Lexi styled herself here, by the way!

In case you were wondering . . .

. . . and I'm sure you were not. 

Things are C-R-A-Z-Y around this house with a hyper-active (almost) 3year old and a 1 month old. Our typical day begins around 6:30 when Emma wakes up hungry and ends around 11 when Emma finally falls asleep. In between is a blur most days. However, I have noticed a trend in my thought patterns: 

 - Why can't I manage to get all three of us downstairs before 9 a.m.?

 - What do you mean it is 11:00? I haven't had breakfast yet.

 - why won't Lexi pull down her own underwear to go to the bathroom? I know she CAN, she just WON'T!  

 - Will they kick her out of preschool for this? No, she'll get kicked out of preschool for being a diva.

 - Aren't newborns supposed to sleep 20 hours a day? Mine doesn't. 

 - Lexi - SERIOUSLY? How can it take you an hour and half to eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and orange slices? SERIOUSLY!

 - Why does my 3 year old insist on wearing a nightgown to nap? 

 - I have GOT to remember to sew the clothes on to the Barbie dolls today!

 - OK - both girls are occupied or sleeping - time to make a list of what needs done around here . . . nevermind. I'm needed. 

 - How is it possible that I do laundry every single day? 

 - Emma is the noisiest little thing. 

 - Would it be inappropriate to watch Real Housewives of New Jersey with Lexi in the room? yeah, probably. darn. 

 - Lexi's napping. Emma is . . . not. sigh. 

 - How can I get people to knock instead of ring the doorbell without being rude or hanging up a tacky sign? 

 - Have I brushed my teeth today? I know I showered.

 - I don't get this 'Bubble Guppies" show - how can fish go camping?

 - When was the last time I left the house?

 - How is it 5:00? I haven't had breakfast yet.

Emma's 1 month stats:

 - height: 20 inches (10th percentile)

 - weight: 9 lbs. 4 oz (51st percentile)

 - head circumference: 14.5 inches (71st percentile) 

she's short and round. like a pooh bear.

What are you doing?

Lexi's new favorite thing to do is ask me, "What are you DOING?"

At first, I thought, "wow, she is really interested in what is going on around her!"

Ten minutes later, I realized she was just doing it for attention. I would be doing simple things - like taking a drink of water and her little voice starts up "What are you DOING?" 

This quickly became extremely annoying, so at first I ignored her (I know, I'm an awesome mom, right?). That didn't phase her - she just asked louder and more frequently. So I started telling her something else - if I was doing the dishes and she asked, I would tell her I was reading a book. This confused her for a bit, and I got about 30 minutes of peace. Then she started coming back at me with, "No, Mommy, you doing the dishes" (See, she does know what I'm doing, she is just attention deprived). 

Sigh. Any suggestions? 

 More Lexi-related stress: Nana and Papa brought over a Barbie house chock-full of accessories shortly after Emma was born. This has been both a blessing and a curse. The teacher side of me realizes how wonderful it is that Lexi will sit and play (and play and play) with the Barbie house for hours (literally - hours at a time!) when she would otherwise probably be watching TV or asking me "What are you DOING?" for the 347th time today. 

Her imagination is incredible - the Barbies conversations with each other often border on the hysterical. In just the last few days, I have overheard the Barbies "talking" (Lexi talking for them) about coupons and how much they "love 'em", going to Target (but Ken-doll couldn't come, he had to stay home because he was naughty and had to go to quiet time), and having a party. Adorbs. 

Ok, so the flip side of this is: 

it's unbelievably messy.
and is currently being housed in my living room.
which is right inside the front door.

Emma continues to be a doll - Lexi is learning to tolerate her more and more and also wants to know what Emma is DOING. That answer is usually easier - sleeping, eating, looking, getting her diaper changed. Not much variation in that routine.

easy as 1,2,3 (weeks old)

Can you believe that Emma is three weeks old? Sure, you can. I can't, though. 

At her two week checkup last Thursday (sorry for being a week behind) her stats were: 

height: 19 inches - 5th percentile
weight: 7 lbs 7.6 oz - 25th percentile 

 head circumference: 13 3/4 in - 50th percentile 

She is doing great! Maybe the only thing that gets tiring is that she wants to be held and snuggled all the time.

all. 

the. 

time. 

Seriously, this little lady is spoiled. With Lexi, she only wanted to be held a max of 2 hours a day. Emma is the opposite. I get two hours a day when she will deign to sleep in her crib. In general, I love it. Lexi was such an anti-snuggler, that I do love having my baby girl curled up against me all day. 

Some days, though, it makes life really difficult. On Wednesday nights, Paul sails. Which means he gets home from work, changes, kisses the girls, and is back out the door within 7 minutes. Last night was the first time he was able to go since Emma was born. I thought I'd be fine. I was wrong. 

Emma was being Emma, wanting to be held. Lexi was being Lexi, wanting more attention and her usual routine. Unfortunately, the night ended in tears from both girls. Emma because I had to put her down during Lexi's bath. Lexi because her bath was short and efficient, not the usual 30 minute playtime.

Momma was tired. Daddy was out. The girls were cranky. But we survived. 

Next week, however, I'm calling in Wednesday night reinforcements!