Collins at 3

We have officially entered the threenager year. Although she started taking that role  several months ago. Girlfriend is so dang cute and funny but she's very very independent. She doesn't really throw fits but wants to do everything on her own. Shut doors, turn lights on and off, put toothpaste on her toothbrush etc.  Let's hope we all make it through this year.

She's still a bitty little thing.  She had her well visit this morning and weighed 27.8 lbs (25%) and measured 35.5 inches (17%).  For the first time they told us she had a small hernia which would explain her outty belly button but it's not big enough that anything needs to be done about it.  She had to have 1 shot but she was tough and didn't cry. 

 

She loves loves loves babies (preferably real ones), her brother (usually too much), gymnastics, dance, eating, going places, blues clues and playing games. 

She doesn't like hamburger, taking naps (but she still does) or sitting still for very long. 

She's incredibly shy but once she warms up to you, she'll talk and talk and talk. I've started writing down some of the funny things she's said

After asking her numerous times to go blow her nose, she comes out of the bathroom, slams her used Kleenex on the table 

Collins- "you happy now?!"

Our dog was at the groomer 

Collins- "I wanna go get Elsie girl."

Me- "they haven't called to say she's done yet."

Collins- "Maybe text them."

Derek was giving them a bath and put the towels on the bath of the toilet 

Collins- "put them up there" (pointing at towel hook)

Derek- " oh yeah? Why?" 

Collins- "Mommy be mad."  Touché girl, that's gross!  

She was asking me what bedtime book I wanted to read 

Me- "I don't really like that one, why don't you pick a different book." 

Collins- "Come on! Me wike that book!" 

Holding one of her baby dolls 

Collins- "She came out of my boobs already." (Meaning her belly). She really wants me to have another baby. 2 in fact! One that she can hold and 1 that I can hold. She's a baby hog, just like me. 

Some of her favorite phrases are "five more minutes!" "Wike, a wittle bit." "Hope so!"  

Collins Cate, you are my little spitfire. You can drive me crazy sometimes but I can't stay mad at that cute face very long.  I love watching your imagination and being able to play games with you now.  We get some good hide and seek games going on when daddy's home.  Lets hope this year is full of less attitude and times outs and more laughter and fun.  Love you baby girl!

 

photos by The Studio

https://www.facebook.com/TheStudioElDorado/?fref=ts

Collins at 2.5

I'm a little late posting this but since it's been 6 months since I did a Collins post, I figured it was time.  "Though she may be little, she may be fierce." This quote replays in my mind daily.  She's a tiny thing weighing in at 26 pounds but boy does she have sass.  I'm sometimes even scared to look at her because you never know if she'll be sweet or sour.  Girlfriend can throw some fits. And the whining? Lord help me. But usually, she's a pretty great kid and has the best little personality.   

 

Mostly wearing 18-24 month and 2t clothes. We measured her the other day for her passport and she was 2 feet 10 inches.  I'm baffled at how small she is because she eats about every 2 hours! Some of her favorite foods include fruit snacks, goldfish, mac and cheese, mostly any fruit and cheez its.  The girl loves her some cheese.  She drinks mostly water and milk with 1 juice a day and the occasional lemonade at restaurants.  When she's done eating, she likes to set her plate on the counter or load it in the dishwasher if its dirty.

Within the past 2 weeks, naps have been hit or miss.  Some days she doesn't fall asleep but I still make her lay in there for 1.5 hours and some days she only naps for an hour.  Typically she's an 1.5 hour napper and sleeps 8pm-7:30am.  Bedtime can draaaaag on.  She has to give mommy, daddy and Elsie 5 million kisses, go to the bathroom, sing twinkle twinkle, etc.  Needless to say, we don't love Collins bedtime duty so we rotate every other night.  We've started praying at night with her and it's too dang cute watching her put her hands together, close her eyes and say Now I lay Me Down to Sleep.  No less then 3 baby dolls occupy her bed at any given time and an array of stuffed animals can be found there as well.

She is pretty shy but warms up to people pretty quickly.  Because she's so shy, she doesn't talk much around other people.  But get her home and its non stop. Recently she's very curious as to what things and people eat.  "Wha nat (cat) eat?" "Wha Elsie eat?" and the dreaded "why?" is said all damn day.  At first she would prounounce why as "hiiii?" so that got confusing.  Brooks is baby Brooks and she often times calls us by our first name.  "Um Sarah? Elsie um come me house?"  Says her colors, of the rainbow anyways; can point out her shapes, colors and the letters B, C, S, D and M (Brooks, Collins, Sarah, Derek, daddy and mommy).  She surprised me the other day and did pretty good counting to 10.  1-4 is a little tough to understand but 5-10 was pretty clear. 

Potty training wise she is still in a diaper at nap and bedtime.  I'm not changing sheets on a queen bed in the middle of the night so until she consistently wakes up dry, we'll keep the bedtime diapers.  And she down right refuses to get off her bed during nap and bedtime.  It's a good and bad thing but until she'll do it, I don't see the diaper coming off. Collins can finally go to the bathroom on her own.  Shortie had a hard time getting up on the potty without a step stool and she has finally figured it out.  Game changer.  Between that and being able to completely dress herself, she doesn't even need me around. 

She took gymnastics last Fall and started dance in January.  She just had her dance recital and she did so good.  All these pictures were from recital day.  I don't normally put make up on her, although she'd love it. 

 

Some of her favorite things include: playing babies, feeding Brooks, being outside, dancing, watching YouTube videos (like obsessed), swimming, buckling her car seat,  eating, finding things that match, going anywhere and Elsie (the dog and her best friend). 

 

Some things she doesn't like: being told no, bread (with the exception of an occasional peanut butter and jelly sandwich), sharing her baby dolls, bugs and being helped with anything unless she asks. 

Collins, you are the light of our life.  Your so independent but at the same time you always want to be held.  Your facial expressions and the things you say crack us up and I'm not sure that there is a better big sister then you are.  Constantly wanting to hold him and love on him. Your the best and we love you so so much. 

Lifestyle pics by auntie

When auntie Amy says "lets go take your pictures," you go get your pics taken.  That's the great thing about lifestyle pics. No fancy outfits, no props and trying to pose a wild 2 year old or a 6 month old that just wants to play with his feet.  Just my babies, in our home, doing what they love to do. 

Let's start with Mr. Brooks.  Clearly he's "not quite on the growth chart.". Baby rolls make me weak.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Collins was in heaven getting to jump on her bed. I can't get her to take pics but she always turns it on for auntie

 

 

 

Let's be real, these 2 had a lot to do with the smiles coming from my kids. They love their cousins big time. Swoon.

 

 

As always, thank you sister for capturing our family.  I don't feel as bad only capturing pics through my phone because I can always count on you to get the best of pics. 

2 years old

photos taken by the ever so loving sister, Amy with The Studio El Dorado. 

 

 

"The days are long but the years are short." I heard this quote this week and it couldn't be more correct.  2 years gone in the blink of an eye.  Hold me.

 

At 2 years, you are FINALLY free from your binky. It's been about 3 weeks now and I wish I could say it was easy but it was pretty brutal. Still is. You have cried at almost every nap and bedtime since we took it away. You don't ask for it anymore but your not happy to go to bed either. I've been so tempted to give them back. But they "broke" (I cut the nipples off) and we threw them away. On the plus side, you are 100% potty trained. You no longer hold #2 for days or put up a battle when we know you have to poop. Accidents are few and far between and you must check out the bathroom in every public place.  Drives me crazy when you say you have to go and I lug you and your brother to the germ infested bathroom to have you not even go a drop.

 

In other big girl news, we recently moved you into a new (to you) queen bed . Well, we thought it was a full but turns out, it's a queen. The toddler bed just wasn't big enough for you and your 10 babies and 500 stuffed animals you take to bed. We put flannel sheets on your bed and mommy and daddy have a hard time not sleeping with you. It's SO comfy!

 

 

 

You got away with no shots and only the flu mist at your 2 year appt. Weighed in at 23 lbs and 12oz (12%) and 32.5 in (25%). Small gal. Wearing 18-24 month clothes, size 6 shoe and size 5 diaper at bed time. You almost always wake up dry but I'm not ready to go 100% underwear. Changing sheets in the middle of the night doesn't sound pleasing. 

 

Your pretty shy so people won't believe me but you are talking so much more. Your doing way better repeating words and are constantly saying 2+ word sentences. You call Brooks "book" or "bubba" and Elsie is "nene."  You are a huge helper with Brooks. You give him his binky, turn on his swing or just talk to him if he's crying and I'm not right there. "Hi bubba, hi!" comes from your mouth a lot. 

Your still baby obsessed. Pointing each baby out you see in public and ALWAYS having one with you.  You have an old onesie on one of your favorite babies and you can snap the buttons on the onesie. You did it for no less then an hour the first day you learned how to snap them. You see me taking a lot of pics with my phone and now you always take my phone and take pictures of your babies and stuffed animals. Your also obsessed with dogs, which was the theme for your 2nd birthday party. 

 

 

 Pretty soon we are gonna have to give you an allowance. You love to unload the dish washer, throw away diapers, mop, fold laundry, etc. Folding consists of you shaking out every piece of clothing and then laying them flat on the couch. You did a whole pile of laundry one day when I was feeding Brooks.  I just laughed as you were shaking out the wrinkles of our socks. 

 

Favorite moments: we taught you to  put your hand on your heart for the national anthem and after it was over and it went to commercial, another song came on a commercial and you immediately stopped what you were doing and put your hand on your heart. You say excuse me after you burp or toot and I kept hearing you say it one day. Turns out you had the hiccups and thought you needed to say it after each one. 

 

Needless to say, you make us laugh daily. We are so proud of the polite, mostly well behaved little girl that you are. Now please take this next year easy on your mom. I can't handle a terrible 2 year old and a baby. Love you bunches. 

23 months

My baby is almost 2?! It really shouldn't come as much of a surprise with the way she's been acting lately. Woah that girl is learning how to push my buttons. I'm a little scared for the "terrible twos."  

Aside from the listening only when you want and throwing some legit tantrums, you are still a miniature mommy. Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING I do with Brooks, you are sure to do with your babies. I give Brooks his medicine, you take the dropper and give medicine to your baby. I wipe his mouth with the burp cloth, that burp cloth is no longer mine to use. Brooks isn't in his car seat? Free game for your baby doll. A baby doll is with you 90% of the time and when one isn't, it's because I made you leave it in the car or house. Your such a good mommy to your babies and Brooks. You give him his pacifier when he cries and I'm busy and yell "eyes!" the second you see him wake up. And then it's "hi baby." Over and over.

 

 

You are my shadow. I love you child but for the love of God, you do not need to follow me around all day long. 

Me- "I'm going upstairs to grab a diaper."

Collins- "me!"

Me- "Stay down here, I'm gonna go turn on the oven." 

Collins- "Me!"

Me- "We are going to play with your friends today."

Collins- (I respond with yes or no after each one) "Me? Baby? Mommy? Daddy?"

 

 

She's been back to calling Derek "Dick" this past week. I love it. 

Seems like forever since we've been to the doctor for you. Not that it's a bad thing but I'm anxious to hear your stats. According to my measurements you are 24.5 pounds and 31 inches.

Some 12-18 month pants fit your short legs but 18-24 month ones are good too. 18-24 month for shirts and size 6 shoe. 

 The biggest milestone this month? Your potty trained!! You are a rockstar and  did so good with it. You are in underwear all day besides nap and bed time and even then you usually wake up dry. We are having some issues with getting you to poop on the potty but I have no doubt that will come. Hopefully soon!

 

You've been a great eater lately. Some of your favorites include sausage, scrambled eggs, apples, peas, cheez it's, veggie straws, pizza and cheese. Everything is better when served with a dip. We just stopped buying whole milk because I think you get plenty of calories from your ever growing appetite. You haven't been a huge milk drinker lately but you love your dairy foods. 

Sleep has been a little interrupted since potty training. You would cry at bed and nap time and wake up once in the middle of the night. I think it was all due to having to go to the bathroom and not wanting to go in your diaper. Now we take you potty before you go to sleep and that has been helping. Occasionally you will play in your bed for a good 30 min before falling asleep at night. It's been around 8:30pm that you fall asleep and wake up around 7:30-8am. Napping 1.5-2 hours around 12:45. 

When you aren't playing with your babies your usually looking at pictures on my phone or taking pictures of your babies with my phone. I delete about 60 pics a day of ones you took. You also like cooking in your play kitchen and pretending to make mommy coffee with your baby keurig. You have a better coffee maker then I do! You love shutting the lid and turning on mommy'a real coffee pot as well. We don't dare give Brooks a bath without you taking one with him and your not letting anyone walk out the door with him. Glad you still love him even through his crying and constantly needing my attention. 

 

 

You have quite the personality and I wouldn't change it for the world. Your a little girl with a big heart and I love you every second of every day. 

20 months

My cute little spitfire,

I am in total denial that you are nearing the age of two and that this is the last month of you being our "baby." I have kept it together but this month is going to be an emotional one for your mama (and now I am crying). You have made these past 20 months the absolute best months of our lives.

Coming in at a whopping 24 pounds and some inches tall.  You've packed on the pounds this month but I don't think you've gotten taller. You still seem so small to me but you have a personality to make up for it. Always wanting the attention and you get a rise when people laugh at you. You've started to do this old lady walk where you hunch over and it cracks me up. The more I laugh, the more you do it.   We try not to laugh when you do something you shouldn't (like throw your napkin across the table at daddy) but everything you do is so damn cute, it's hard not too. Still wearing 12-18 month clothes, size 4 diaper and a size 5 shoe but I think we need to get some 6's.

 

Your still a pretty good eater and a great sleeper.  You will now accept hot dogs and we are working on sandwiches.  Those 2 foods alone make lunch so much easier. You've learned to set your plate next to the sink when your done eating thanks to watching cousin Aiden do it.  You can hardly reach to get it up there but get super pissed if I try and help.  Your still loving your big girl bed and cuddle up to your pillow around 8pm and we don't hear a peep from you until at least 7:15am.  I can guarantee that the word eat will come out of your mouth in less then 5 min. of you being awake. So demanding first thing in the morning.  Naps are about 1.5-2 hours.

You are finally picking up on your vocabulary.  Other people have a hard time knowing what your saying but I can usually figure it out.  Most words start with an N so if people know that much, it's a little easier.  Nat=cat, neys=keys, neyes=eyes, nayney=baby.   I've heard you say on numerous occasions "weh (where) zozo at?" and when I asked you were Elsie was, you said "side" (outside). The way you say Zozo for Zoe is the cutest.   You've also said nose, dodie (doggy) and I'm sure a few others I'm forgetting. Huh? is becoming less heard and "wa that?" is replacing it. Your always asking what things are but I know your just learning about the world so I don't mind answering it all day long.

We really need to get you in for your first haircut.  Your rocking a pretty sweet mullet AND rat tail.  The back of your hair is curly though so their not too noticeable unless your hair is wet.  I just don't want to not be able to do your piggytails! You LOVE getting your hair done.  I plop you on the counter and let you play in the water and brush your teeth while I do it.  No outfit is complete without a bow and you'll make sure of it.  The bow usually gets pulled out at home but you know it has to stay in when we're in public. 

Your molars are finally coming in! 3 have popped through giving you a total of 11 teeth now.  I think your still behind on the teeth department but that makes me feel better about not having your weaned from your binky at bedtime or naptime yet.  Soon, it's going to happen soon!

You "count" 1-2-3 but it's more just sounds then actual words.  You "count" before you jump into the pool and when your playing hide and seek.  You'll either squint your eyes closed or hide your eyes when your counting at hide and seek but your not all that great at actually hiding or seeking.  It's pretty comical to watch though.

I think you have gills cause you are such a fish in the water. There's no such thing as too deep to you and you will just keep walking until you go completely under.  You can almost go under water on your own. You'll stand and squat down and get your mouth and nose under but not quite your eyes.  You lean your head back to get your hair wet in the pool and love floating on your back. Especially when you have a floatie on and can do it yourself. You've learned how to support yourself in a puddle jumper and swam across the pool completely on your own with one on.  I know someone who isn't going to be happy when summer is over and we can no longer go swimming. 

I could go on and on about you. I started to do things you dislike but I really couldn't think of much.  Besides cars or trucks coming too close and being helped when you don't want it, your pretty easy going.  We're working on listening and not taking off when I ask you to come here.

 

We love you baby girl and even when the new baby comes, your still gonna be our baby.
 

19 months

19 months, going on 5.  You seem to think you are way older then you are and that you can do everything by yourself.  Hints the huge bump on your forehead in these pictures.  You were walking up the stairs behind me and I think you turned around to grab a shoe off the step and fell down and smacked your head on the hardwood floor.  You keep bumping it so I'm not sure it will ever heal.

Other things your think you need to do by yourself are sitting at the picnic table for meals and snacks (we don't allow for dinner), WALK down the stairs without holding our hand, throw things away, especially your diapers after we change you, try to change your own diaper and wipe yourself, brush your own teeth, pour water on your head and scrub with the washcloth, take your shoes off and sit in a chair or the booth at restaurants. You love having your hair done and helping pick out a bow after we get your dressed. Your hair is getting curlier and curlier and I love it!

 

 

  You've sat on the potty a couple times and haven't actually went but like to get a piece of toilet paper, wipe and throw it in the toilet. I think your just about ready for potty training if we can get you talking more. 

Our scale says 22.5 pounds and I would guess around 32 inches. You are always asking to eat (yes, finally saying the word) so hopefully your packing on some weight. Still in a size 5 shoe, size 4 diaper and 12-18 month clothes. You are so slow in the teeth department and only have 8 teeth. You've been sticking your fingers in your mouth lately and had a low grade fever the other day so I'm hoping some teeth are coming. And let's pray they all come at once, teething is no fun. 

 

 

Like I mentioned before, eating is your favorite.  You get so mad when I tell you it's not time to eat and I usually give in because there are only so many times I  can hear "eat, eat, eat." When you really want to get your point across you sign the word eat as you say it. I get it girlfriend, your hungry. You love reading books and will sit in the rocking chair in your room and just look at them by yourself. It's very rare that you'll be in a room by yourself but this is one thing you will do alone. 

As of 2 nights ago, you are sleeping in a toddler bed! You having been falling right to sleep and sleeping through the night.  I was scared for nap time but you've done so great and haven't attempted to get out of bed at all. You wait in your bed and yell for me and then climb off as soon as I open the door.  I cried when we set up your new bed. It's just not right that your already out of your crib. We were going to do the transition regardless since brother needs it but you climbed out of your crib 2 weeks ago so it was definitely time. Hopefully your 8pm-7am and 1.5-2 hour naps stick around with this new transition. It probably won't be long till you realize you have toys and books in your room that are better then sleeping. 

 

Still need bedding for it

 

Talking isn't your strongest trait but it's getting better. Some new words are  "no," "eat," "eh you" (thank you), "doggy,"  "uck" (duck), "that," and we swear you say "what's that?" I've caught you multiple times saying thank you without being prompted and that makes me very proud. Your please is still more of a tongue roll/spit but at least you try and it sure makes everyone laugh. Especially your cousins! 

You love swimming and hate being held in the pool. You'll go as deep as you can possibly touch and sometimes even too deep that you go under water. Doesn't phase you a bit though. You'll let me hold you on your back in the pool for a few seconds and you like to lay on your belly if it's shallow enough and kick your feet. I wish you had a little more fear of the water cause you can be a handful at the pool. Glad you love it though cause we have been going almost everyday (yes, you have a better tan then I do).

 



Too bright outside

 

You've really been throwing some fits this month and have started to hit anything or anyone in your way when you get mad. We're working on that one. I know it's because of the lack of communication so I try and get you to use your words to express yourself instead. Sometimes I just have to let you throw your fit on the floor for a couple minutes and then talk about the situation. I sure hope this phase passes quickly cause it can sure be stressful. 

 

We get so many compliments on how good you are and for the most part, you really are. Your just like me and are happiest when we are out and about and around others. We are watching cousin Aiden for the summer and you beyond happy about that. You guys share such a special bond and I have a feeling you won't be happy to trade him for a baby brother in August. 

I love you more and more each day.  My baby girl, forever and always. 

Collins' Heart Murmur

At Collins' 18 month visit last week, they heard a heart murmur.  They only rated it as a 1/2 on a level from 1-6 (6 being the worst), but since Derek had a heart condition awhile ago, they thought it was a good idea to get it checked out by a pediatric cardiologist. 

We had that appointment on Monday and I am happy to announce that everything looked great.  Yes, she has a heart murmur but it's a normal one and nothing we need to be concerned about at all.  Basically, you can just hear her blood running to and from her heart.  Since she has such a thin chest, it's easy to hear. He described it as water running through a hose.  It's normal to hear the water running through the hose but a not normal heart murmur would be a different sound like if the hose had a hole and you heard the water spouting out. 

We won't need to do a follow up and it will be ok if at times they can hear it and times they don't.  She has a healthy heart and that makes mommy and daddy very relieved.  Of course she was their best patient ever.  She got a little antsy during the long sonogram of her heart but they had some pretty neat toys to distract her.

 

18 months

This morning we went in for C bug's 18 month visit.  18 months seems so much younger then 1.5 years so I refuse to tell her age in years.  She did amazing (as always) at her visit but we did find out that she has a heart murmur.  They scale it on a level from 1-6, 6 being the worst and she was a 1/2.  She said if she hadn't laid so still when she was listening to her heart, she might have missed it.  Derek had one and had to have surgery so we went ahead and got a referral to see a cardiologist.  Had Derek not had a history of it, they would have just monitored it.  Her oxygen levels were perfect at 98 so it isn't much of a concern at all.  Their super common and most grow out of them.  We'll get her checked out just to be safe and go from there.

Little bit weighed in at 21.8 lbs (11%) and was 31 inches tall (30%).  Wearing 12-18 month clothes, size 4 diaper and 5 in shoes. We're gonna push milk a little more throughout the day to try and get her some extra calories.  She is non stop so she just quickly burns off all the food she outs all.day.long.  She was introduced to fruit snacks this month and goes straight for them if you leave the pantry door open.  She is also going through a big pepperoni stage.  Some kids like ham or turkey, mine will only eat pepperonis.  And no bananas or raspberries for this girl.  Any other fruit she will gladly eat.  A perfect meal in her opinion would be cheese quesadilla, fries, blueberries and juice. We don't even buy juice because she just chugs it.

Sleeping has been hit or miss.  For the most part she sleeps from about 7:45pm-7:30am.  We had a rough 2 weeks this month with her waking about 10 of the 14 nights for HOURS at night.  We never found a reason but she is back to sleeping through the night give or take 1 night a week. She's fought bedtime a little the past week but usually just needs a couple extra minutes of cuddles and then she goes down without a peep.  She naps at about 12:45 for 1.5-2 hours. We went to an aquarium this month where she got a stuffed seal so it sleeps with her as well as her build a bear zebra she made and Minnie mouse that daddy brought home from a trip to Orlando.  Let's pray she doesn't come super attached to all 3.  We bought a toddler bed this month and are going to make the transition probably within the month.  Baby brother is going to use her crib and she's a monkey that I foresee climbing out of the crib any day now. 

She is SO independent.  She walks down the stairs now either holding someone's hand of the railing, obsessed with shoes and taking them off and on, can spit out her toothpaste, always wants to wash her hands and tries to change her own diaper and wipe herself with a wipe.  If she knew how to talk, I would think we would be ready for potty training.  If she doesn't get her way, watch out, a fit is sure to come.  Know what she does when she's mad? Rips her bow out.  Yep, she knows how to get under mommies skin.  She HATES time out and getting into trouble.  She can scrape her knees without a tear but if she gets her feelings hurt, the tears start rolling.  She grabbed my face at the doctors office today and laid a big kiss on me.  Turned me and the doctor into a puddle.  And her kisses come with sound now.  I just love hearing the mmmmuah when she gives or blows a kiss.

They only asked if she could say 5-10 words at her visit so I guess she's off the hook in the vocabulary department.  I'd say she can say 10-15 words.  Even if she can't speak them, she can point out animals, objects, food and some shapes from  a book.  She can follow directions and does so 90% of the time. 

Collins, you melt my heart on a daily basis.  You've started to call me mommy instead of mama sometimes and it gets me every single time.  You know exactly what to do to get a smile out of someone and love having all the attention on you.  I wish I could bottle this stage up because it might be one of my favorites. Love you baby girl, forever and always.