It's That Time of Year: Shutterfly Holiday Cards!

I’ve been slow to warm up to the idea of the holidays this year. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that it’s still hitting 80 degrees here on a regular basis, but I feel like I’m stuck somewhere back in August. Then, in setting up my calendar for the upcoming holiday season’s events, one deadline did excite me: placing my order for our 2011 holiday cards!

As you may remember from last year, we ordered our holiday cards from Shutterfly, and boy did we ever get a positive response! Our cards turned out absolutely delightful – far beyond what I had hoped – and so when considering my holiday cards for this year, there was no doubt in my mind that we’d be repeat customers.

On top of our Christmas Card order this year (we’re waiting to take some holiday-themed photos to choose our actual card and place our order), I’m going to be taking advantage of some of the other awesome photo items that Shutterfly offers, both for myself and for gift ideas for friends and family.

Here are some of my favorite ideas:

-Personalized 2012 Calendars! Who doesn’t need a calendar to get organized for the upcoming year? And rather than looking at stock pictures of waterfalls and animals, something tells me the grandparents would much rather look at cutie pie pictures of their favorite little granddaughter!

-Photo Books. Each year/during pregnancy, I have made my blog into a (lengthy!) photo (and text) book, and ever since, I’ve been hooked. If any big event has happened where photos have been taken without restraint, it’s been turned into a photo book at my house! With the holidays approaching, this seems like a perfect gift idea!

Have you started thinking about your Holiday/Christmas cards yet? When do you normally place your order? Will you be gifting any personalized photo items to friends and family?a

Ava's Birthday Dress: Voting Time!

So Ava's second birthday party will have a "Pink Poodle in Paris" theme, and so I'm wanting to commission a dress on Etsy that will go hand in hand with it. I've found three that I like/love, but want to know what you all think.

Here they are:

1.

2.

3.


I've almost completely ruled out the second, but still thought I'd keep it in the running for now. Also, the first poodle matches the poodle on her party decor, so that's something to think about as well.

Ok, go!

Ava-isms.

Lately, Ava has been saying such adorable things, I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to share a few!

-This morning, while trying to find an episode of Dora on the revised Nick Jr. lineup (why are they always changing the times that shows come on?!?!?!?!), we stumbled across Winnie the Pooh and stopped for a second, since it was one of those celebrity voice-over shorts and it happened to be Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day. Now, I'm not a big Pooh fan, mainly because my mom is the world's biggest fan, so potentially I was just overexposed, but I do like that story. Anyhow, after it was over, we kept flipping, but Ava kept asking us to turn it back on, yelling "Winnie the Poop! Winnie the Poop!", and then later, "Winnie the Pooh Pooh!" HAHAHA.

-Ava has only just recently started to drop the "sh" sound in place of an "s" (yesh for yes), but she still says it in a few different instances. Mainly, she asks on a regular basis to "shit" on the potty (instead of sit on the potty). HAHA!!!! I love it. Until she asks in public, and then it's unfortunate that I'm super pale and blushing is so obvious on my face!

-Ava lately has become more aware of what it means to be in trouble. Rather than just knowing that mommy is upset over something, she recognizes a feeling of guilt, and has started to hide her face behind her hands when she's done something wrong. More often than not, this "something wrong" includes overturning her snack/food bowl. Drives me nuts!

Christmas/Birthday Gift Idea.

Well, we only made it to her second birthday before doing a combined gift, but if they're as awesome as this, it's ok, right?


Now who wants to help me put this bad boy together?

Happy Hallowean!

Nope. Not a typo. Also? I know Halloween was a few days ago, but I just could NOT come up with a relative title for this post, so that's the best I could do. Deal with it.

Anyhow, this is the post where - rather than revealing Ava's fifth Halloween costume - I ask for advice from any extended breastfeeders out there. That's right. We may not have had a heart to heart about it in recent months, but I am still breastfeeding Ava.

I know that most people may think that's a bit odd. In fact, I definitely fell into the aforementioned category prior to having a child. But between Ava's love of nursing and the comfort it gives her, and her milk protein intolerance, it's been the best choice for us. I could go on and on justifying why I'm still nursing my 22 month old, but - long story short - it's been what has worked best for our family. The end.

Now, though, I'm feeling like that ship has sailed. More and more I'm wanting to start the weaning process - and more and more she's pushing back on my attempts. I try to put her off when she wants milk and I feel like she doesn't really need it (aka bedtime/naptime), and she collapses into pitiful cries of, "Mama milk, peeeeaaase! Pease?" Then she starts signing please. Ok, Ok, Ava. I get it.

So - I need advice. Any weaning tips for a toddler. Also, anything to make it easier on mom? As much as it'll be nice to have my body entirely to myself for the first time in 2.5 years, I will admit to feeling sad about this time being over. Also, I definitely don't want to do it abruptly and have it mess with her feelings of security and comfort - I'm a real weirdo about my child not feeling abandoned or rejected at any cost.

Thanks, guys!

Halloween Photo Bomb!

First, our pumpkins :)

Costume number one: pumpkin for the fall fest. Fail.

Costume 2: Angelina Ballerina for a Halloween Party! Better...


Halloween morning (aka before the madness and overstimulation kicked in...)

Betcha didn't know Tink did gymnastics?!


Tink at the park :)



Mid-afternoon dress-up:

Preceeded by a mid-afternoon meltdown:

Surrounded by her many admirers!

Debuting her Halloween costume!

Someone got a bit sick of her costume about five minutes in, but we managed to talk her back into it...whew!

Pink poodle playing in the sandbox:

What a gorgeous peacock (and baller costume!):

Setting out on our trick-or-treating adventure:

Hmm..whatcha got in there?

P lends a hand :)

Checking out her stamp:

"Knock knock"

She may have gotten a bit tired there towards the end!

Family pic!


In sum, Halloween was awesome. I LOVE this age! Seriously, I much prefer this holiday being a parent, as opposed to a drunken college student.

Happy Halloween, everyone!

Where Did The Day Go?

Holy cow. How has it been nearly a week since I posted? Oh wait, that's right. I'll tell you how...

For a general rundown of what it's like to be a mother of one, yet nanny to five (three at one house, two at another), here's an excerpt from my day today.

Because I'm working so much, I've been getting sick a lot more. Bleh. As such, today started out bright and early, when Ava and I left the house at 7:30 to make an 8:10 doctor's appointment so I could miss only half an hour of work, which will be made up tomorrow afternoon. Blah. Anyhow, at said doctor appointment, I fit about two months worth of stuff into the visit, including the upper respiratory infection I currently have, the swollen lymph nodes that have been keeping me up at night, and the referral for PT that I needed in order to be seen at my friend's clinic, because lifting the travel car seat in and out of the car has done a number on my back.

From there, I went to work. This began with me dropping the boys at school, then running to the pharmacy to drop off my prescription. Unfortunately there's no drive thru at the one closest to my job, so I had to drag Ava and the baby inside, resulting in Ava's second lollipop of the day (the first was at the doctor...). It was 9:15.

Then, we headed over to Toddler Storytime at the library, which requires my child to sit still and listen. Ha. HAHAHAHA! Picture this if you will: H screaming while I attempt to feed her the soy formula she's currently on (another milk allergy - what are the odds?!?!?!), while Ava LITERALLY runs circles around me, while yelling, "CIRCLES!" at the top of her lungs. That's her new favorite thing.

Afterwards, we went back to the pharmacy to pick up my prescriptions, since there is no such thing as "waiting around for it" when you have two under two, am I right? Anyhow, we picked those up, made a pit stop at the gas station, and then I drove around until Ava fell asleep. I'm not a lazy parent, but it's so much easier if she looks sleepy in the car to drive her to sleep than try to put her and H down at the same time. I feel only slightly bad about this.

While they napped, I did two loads of laundry, loaded the dishwasher, and stuffed my face ate my lunch. I would've chosen to do something more awesome with my time, except it's not my choice. I'm responsible for those things at work, so there's no indulging the sentiment that the housework can wait. Unfortunately, it can't.

Then, I drug both girls out of bed, praying one would stay asleep (no such luck), and hauled them to school to pick up the boys in the pick up line. After listening to them bickering in the third row, I dropped them off at home, then Ava and I went to get S from HER preschool, all while dashing home, to job #2, to meet P at the bus stop. Now, I have to go, because she's due at tennis in twenty minutes, and I am doing carpool today, before returning to make two cakes for the cake decorating contest at P's school tomorrow (though that is admittedly fun!).

In retrospect, it could be months before I blog again...