Happy 8 Months Levi Love!

Hello sweet baby love! Eight months already and I just can't believe it.

Nicknames? Leev's. Lovey boy. Levi love. Little Leev.

Eating? Everything he can get his hands on (or whatever Emma sneaks in his mouth when I'm not looking......a dangerous game, but I think she is learning to ask before feeding him.) The staples are pancakes, grilled cheese, yogurt, grilled chicken, bite sized fruits & veggies, rice, beans, veggie dogs, pasta, pierogies, cheerios, applesauce....actually, pretty much anything that he won't choke on! He is not picky at all right now.

And he sleeps! {insert party dance here}. 9a-11a, 2p-4p, 7p-6a. Aside from a random midnight wake-up call......eight months later, finally on a schedule, and I proudly shout....."Hallelujah"!!!

He sits, he scoots, he rolls all around, and he tries to pull-to-stand...almost there. He happily plays toys alone and even more happily plays with his sister. I think she likes it just as much as he does, and Felix & I have even more fun watching them giggle and play together.

He is huge. Already in 12-18mo clothing. He waves goodbye when you ask him to, and gives you a big cheeky smile. He is such a snuggle bug, and really gives a great hug when you pick him up. I squeeze him so close, just can't get enough of him!

Definitely hates getting his diaper or clothes changed. Flips and flops all over the place, we have to put him in a lock-down just to get his PJ's on. And absolutely hates getting in his carseat. I think he is getting a little big for it, time to start looking for a big-girl carseat for Emma so Levi can have hers!

*in lockdown in the public bathroom at Target* - wasn't sure how else to keep him from touching anything while Emma & I used the potty!


Playing with Emma's playdough toy hat & doctor kit glasses after naptime...I wonder when they will just be called "the toys" instead of "Emma's toys"!


Love.



-until she jammed his head with her front teeth, nothing a kiss can't fix!


Levi gets just as excited as Emma when Diego comes on!

I refuse to call it the Terrible Two's

This morning started out great. In fact, BETTER than great!
Felix was able to stay home late this morning, so while Levi was taking his morning nap Emma & I went to the gym. I got in a great step workout and Emma had fun playing in the daycare room. A good time was had by all.


We came home, I quickly showered, Felix left for work and I fed the kids lunch before bringing them out to play with some friends at the YMCA. It was great to meet up with friends, I sat and chatted with my friend while Levi played on the floor in front of me and Emma was running around the playroom playing with her friend.

Eventually, Emma came over to me wanting to take her socks off, which was against the rules. I explained she couldn't, but she fought me on it, wriggling and yelling and throwing her socks until a "time-out" was inevitable. As I picked her up to leave the room for her time-out, she let out a big "ahhhhhhhh" scream and then....she did it. Swung her hand back and slapped it hard right on my cheek. It actually stung. And I was mortified, embarrassed, and flat-out furious! I wanted to throw her in the car and make her go home, but our friends had met us there to play, so I didn't think that would be fair. I brought her out of the room for a time-out, but she couldn't have cared less. After sitting in time out, she gave my "boo boo" a kiss and said sorry and was instructed to do "good listening".

What followed? The short of it is this: she pushed her friend off the balance beam, she stuck out her bottom while standing on the steps of the slide, just enough so her friend who was behind her would fall off, and finally, threw a major tantrum including rolling around on the floor when she couldn't have the cookies another girl was eating. At this point, I simply walked out of the YMCA with Levi in my arms- knowing she would follow, crying & screaming. And she did. Until the doors literally shut behind her. It was like someone sprinkled fairy dust on her and she immediately went back to her normal, happy-go-lucky self, acting as if NOTHING had just happened in there. Well, let me tell you, THIS momma just wasn't having it! I remained completely calm throughout the entire afternoon, but inside I was absolutely fuming.

The funny thing is, for a 2 year old, once the incident is over- it is over. There is no stewing over it, staying angry for hours. And so, when we got to the house and I picked her up out of her carseat, her tiny little body just wrapped itself around me, arms squeezed tight around my neck so I wouldn't drop her on the slippery snow, and I just wanted to squeeze her back and kiss her sweet cheeks.

But, we certainly have some work to do. I've heard way too many "THAT'S MINE" and seen way too many floor-rolling tantrums these last few weeks. Sorry little chicken, you have some hard-love coming your way........

Winter.......fun???

So....we got a little snow this winter. At first, it is fun and pretty. Then it gets a little cold and slippery, slowly becoming an annoyance to get out and about. Shortly after, it gets depressing and even gives a sense of claustrophobia. And finally, it gets dangerous and damaging, leaving leaks in my closet and a caved in gutter on the roof. I can officially say, I hate the winter.




Trying to get creative while suffering from major cabin fever. Emma has had a "real" fever for the past 5 days, I finally took her to the doctor this morning and he told me it was just a cold and to ride it out. I wanted to get on my knees and beg him for some drugs- if not for her- then for me! I seem to have caught whatever it is she has. In the meantime....we love forts. Or, "tunnels" as Emma calls them.


And to top it all off- I had this gigantic splinter stuck in my heel. Caught it INDOORS. Yup, inside, from our wood floors that can only be described as giving the house "character".


Being that this post has been so positive, I warn you now to turn off your sound, because as we watch this amazing momentous occasion of Levi scooting his way across the floor- you can hear the frustration in my voice as I am asking Emma to stop distracting him and JUST. SIT. DOWN.!

It is great that he is getting more and more mobile. He has been rolling all over the place lately, but this one was funny. I put him down in my room- sitting up- and went into the bathroom. Shortly after, he was sitting in the bathroom with me. He had actually scooted himself on his bottom all the way in there.

Hello Handsome!

He stands!!!!

I have to put him up, but he stays! And he loves it!!

Finally, something to put a smile on this little guys face. He has been crying since the day we got back if I left his side for even a second! So tonight, as I rushed to make some scrambled eggs for the kids dinner, I propped him up on this toy and he actually stayed and played without crying. Good thing, because he is starting to lose his voice from screaming so much these past few days.

And this one- always very into her cars & ramps after we return from weeks of playing with Gavin.

7 Months!

Levi Max. Seven months old!

I always seem to say the same thing at these monthly photo shoots, but seriously, time just flies!!! He is 7 months. That is more than 1/2 a year old. Crazy! Especially because it seems like we are just getting to know him. And he seems so much younger than I remember Emma being at this age.

Normally, he is so easy going. He gets so excited to watch Emma and will start jumping in our laps or wherever he is, laughing & giggling. He seems to be a sensitive little guy, usually looks at me in horror when Emma is being put in time out. And, he FINALLY started sleeping through the night. He usually lets out a short cry around 2am but seems to go back to sleep, waking between 5:30 and 6. We are getting there!

He is eating tons of different foods right now, and prefers to feed himself. Fine by me :) We have been practicing standing while holding on to toys, but crawling seems to be a long ways away. I don't know if he will EVER be able to lift his big belly off the floor!

I think he is learning to sign "more".....but we were teaching him that during meals, the same time we were teaching him to give kisses. And now, when he is eating, he keeps making the kissing face- which makes me think he is a little confused as to which sign actually means "more".

Teething. Yuck! He doesn't seem to have a high tolerance for pain, and definitely just wants to be held when he isn't feeling well. Jackie kept blowing on his cheeks, which we think made his gums feel better because it seemed to put him into a comatose state!!


Look at that love. I never get enough of it! Of course.....


that was before he realized he was sitting in a crib full of pee! Emma kept leaking out of her diapers at night while we were in FL.... I didn't even notice it until I pulled her out of the crib that morning, but looking back at the pictures, you can totally tell. Gross.

"get me outta here!"

Potty training....no fun at all. Emma is still working on it, and usually does pretty well, but I think we have some more work to do! And look what happens when I leave Levi alone with Aunt Jackie too long.....

Is he not just the cutest little thing in the world? When I pick him up, I put him over my shoulder and pat his back. Recently, he has started patting my back at the same time. And if he is in my bed in the morning, he usually wakes me up by gently caressing my cheeks with his fingers. Such a little doll, I just want to squeeze him!