And... breathe... A Mom's Reflection

I wasn't going to post this, because it went in a different direction than I had planned, but it is a personal reflection, that I just let go in it's own direction. I haven't had 'time' to sit down in peace and quiet while able to 'relax' at the same time... tonight was my chance...


ahhhh, so the craziness has hopefully ended for a bit, and it is now time to breathe. Today was one of those days where I was able to just relax and enjoy being home with my girls. We did absolutely no running around- no errands, no grocery store... nada... it was wonderful! I bet the girls enjoyed it, too! It was nice to just breathe and enjoy life. It started out nice with a short rollerblade trip around on the Big Dry Creek Trail (behind our house)... then a nice story with the girls as I was getting ready to lay Kalina down for a nap. My favorite times during the day is when I have both girls in my lap for a story, or as Kalina is on the boppy, T just curls up on my legs and lays her head on the boppy and sometimes she just lays there, and others, like this morning, she brings a book and reads K and I a story. What else do I absolutely love about my girls? They adore each other and love each other so much. Once K hears T's voice, forget what we were just doing, and she just stretches and turns and wiggles around to find her sister. It's a good thing I don't EVER leave her on the changing table, because if I did, I'm sure she would roll right off, trying to find Tatum. Kalina is always smiling (the girl barely knows how to cry), and my favorite time to get her is right after she has been sleeping- she just gives that wonderful "OH, I'M SOOO HAPPY TO SEE YOU" smile that just lights up the room, but once she sees Tatum, somehow, it gets even bigger! I don't know how that is even possible. And Tatum, what a wonderful big sister! She loves her baby sister and just helps me out however she can. She loves to crawl into her crib with her, loves reading stories to her, shares her toys, lets her pull her hair (to an extent now), sings to her, wants to help feed her, helps change her diaper... the list goes on and on. It's amazing to me that she is just going to be 3 in a month... yet I can't believe she is already going to be three. Our little Tatum is becoming such a big girl. Tonight, I was just looking at her in awe... I had Kalina in my arms, putting her to sleep, when Tatum came to me and was telling me a story, and she is so descriptive about what she did and how and why she did it, I couldn't even respond. I just sat there looking at her, thinking, "oh my goodness, where has the time gone? She's such a big girl"... tears were welling up in my eyes, not sad tears, just tears... I am just amazed everyday at what she says, and the connections that she makes. Being Mom, definitely the best role I will ever have in life. To be able to watch my children grow and learn and become their own person, there is nothing better in life. Watching the girls grow, is just amazing. It's amazing watching a little baby learn to smile, laugh, sit, play, love, learn, talk, walk, think, and become a little girl with an imagination that goes on and on, a heart big enough to fit everyone she knows in, a genuine smile that will make your day brighter, hugs that feel so good, you don't want them to end... and those nights when T crawls into bed and curls up next to us... although we don't always get a good night's sleep... I absolutely cherish that time and am looking forward to having two little girls curling up in bed with us.

Happy Birthday, America!!!

Here are some pictures of the girls from the Fourth of July

We went to the Rockies game Saturday night to enjoy some baseball and fireworks... one of the best fireworks shows we have ever seen! WOW!!! Grandma Potts, Pops, Auntie Liz, Mister Jon, and Miss Kimberly joined us.

Kalina didn't sleep during the baseball game, but was out during the fireworks!

Tatum & Mister Jon

Hey! It's my half birthday!!!

Well, little miss Kalina is now 6 months old! Where has the time gone? It's definitely been crazy around here, but here is the fun stuff...



What is Kalina up to? Kalina is able to sit without support, says mom mom mom mom mom, and has been eating rice for a while. Her favorite toy- besides her sister, is her green frog, and she LOVES hair!!! She just grabs ahold of our hair (especially Tatum's) and pulls! OUCH! :) She is very ticklish and loves to laugh! She really doesn't cry, if she does, there is something really wrong. She's a pretty cuddly girl, and her smile just melts my heart!



Here are some pictures from June 28th...
Sister fun! :)

Kalina's Five Months!

"By the time a baby is about 5 months, (s)he almost has to smile when someone smiles at him, as if it's a reflex." (American Baby Magazine)

So this is Kalina to a "T". What a happy baby! Once you give her any attention at all, she just smiiiiles away! Going from months 4 to 5, has shown the biggest changes in Kalina with her holding her head on her own (to where psycho-cautious mom doesn't even hold her head when I pick her up), grabbing things, switching hands, and pulling them to her mouth. She is definitely in the more 'fun' stage of being more interactive and social. Her eyes are definitely still blue, but her hair just can't decide what color it is going to be! She is trying to grow out a mullett and a mohawk, both at the same time! The lower back hair is still very dark, but the rest of her hair is growing in lighter, some blonde, some darker. I suppose only time will tell what color it will be!

May 2010

Pictures to come

What a busy month May was!



Tatum's First Hair Cut!!!



We started the month out with Tatum getting her first hair cut! We were very reluctant to get it cut because the longest hair would curl in humidity.... and because I would finally have to give in that she is growing up *sigh*



Tatum didn't quite know what to think of getting her hair cut. She was actually quiet.... barely spoke with the lady at all! This is a girl who wakes up talking and goes to bed talking and sometimes talks in her sleep, so for her to not talk is odd. She was able to pick what to sit on, and she chose a pink elephant and later was able to pick her hair style. My little girl is growing up!



Trip to Indiana



The girls, Matt, and I packed into the car and headed for good ol' Indiana. The girls did pretty well, as Matt drove all through the night- Kalina slept and Tatum woke up a few times, but all in all, it wasn't too bad. The original plan was to run/walk the Indianapolis Mini-Marathon... then we decided to walk to 5K with Patti, but then we woke up in the morning and it was windy and cold- not exactly great weather to have the girls out in... so, we didn't do any of it :( ... Hopefully next year we can redeem ourselves! :)



While staying in Indy, we were able to visit with Granny and Uncle Carl, Aunt Judy, and cousin Nikki (and now husband, Aaron) - who was one week away from being married- Congratulations! :)



Sunday, Mother's Day, we headed to King's Island in Ohio with Lola & Pocky. What a great time! Tatum LOVED the rollercoaster, and I must say, Pocky seemed to love it as well! We finished off Mother's Day with a trip to Olive Garden. What a GREAT day with family!

BAKING WITH LOLA

We had a great time hanging out with the Carrington's in Indy, and Tatum especially enjoyed baking with Lola... she made some 'Grilled Cheese', and then made some cupcakes... mmmm they were delicious! The best tasting cupcakes I've ever had!!! I bet you wish you could have some!!!

Kalina would have joined in with the baking fun, but she just enjoyed hanging out with Lola & Pocky, getting some love!


Following our visit in Indianapolis, we headed up to see the Bilinski's(Baloonski)/Potts'. First stop, G'ma Birt & Pocky B...


TRAIN TIME WITH GRANDMA BIRT & POCKY B

We headed up and stayed with G'ma Birt & Pocky B for a few days where the girls enjoyed some play time, giraffe rides, horsey rides, and the train! G'ma surprised Tatum by pulling her train set out and let Tatum be the conductor. She had a BLAST! Later, we headed up to Tyler's Tender- a train themed kid's restaurant in Schererville. Tatum had fun riding trains and got her own conductor hat!

Kalina shared some laughs with the grandparents and had some great one on one time with Granny!

HANGING WITH UNCLE DOUG, POPS, AND GRANDMA POTTS

Over the river and up the road to Grandma Potts' house we gooo... okay, so we didn't really cross a river from Pocky B's house to G'ma Potts' house, but we crossed over lots as we drove across the country! :)

We were able to visit with Grandma Potts and Pops, along with Uncle Doug. We helped Pops plant some flowers, taught Uncle Doug his ABC's, and Tate fell asleep with Grandma Potts reading to her after enjoying a trip to the bookstore. Grandma also got to enjoy doing a puzzle with Tatum...

Unfortunately, our visit with Uncle Doug was shifted to the hospital (girls could not visit with him there)... Doug got a bad case of pneumonia and was put on a ventilator. He has since, been trached, and now is in a facility to try to ween him off of the vent.

MEETING ALEXANDER!!!!

No offense to anyone else in IN, but my highlight for the trip was being able to finally meet my nephew!!! What a cutie! He was sooo little! I barely remember Kalina that size!!! :) He's so sweet, I can't wait until they move out here to Colorado!!! lol... ;) (an Auntie can dream, right?) He definitely felt light in my arms after holding Tatum/Kalina! I looooove him!!! Tatum loves him too, and is excited to be a big cousin (again)! Kalina, although she doesn't quite understand what's going on, is excited to be a big cousin, as well! :)

Look what I found!!!

Time is flying and Kalina is just growing like crazy!!! So amazing to watch her everyday picking up new things and learning about her world. Everytime I get her from her crib, she has ahold of at least one of her feet. In just the last couple of weeks, she has gone from just looking at her 'friends' to batting at them, to grabbing them. Kalina really is a happy girl! If she is upset, we just have to sing to her and ope, there's the smile! The past couple of days have shown lots of laughs from her, as she just loves attention!

Tatum is still sharing her toys with Kalina (as she had when I was still pregnant)... the last two days, she has shared her firetruck and always enjoys 'reading' with Kalina and me- she points to animals and tells Kalina what they are and what they say. It's really sweet. Tatum also enjoys 'reading' to Matt and I at night. She has two books that she always asks us to read to her and now, she pretty much 'reads' them to us! It's so sweet and way too cute! One is 'Shiver me letters, A Pirate's ABC's' and the other is 'Put Me in the Zoo'. Another she knows pretty well is 'The Crunching, Munching Caterpillar'. She definitely loves her books! She also loves being outside! Once she goes outside, I have to practically bribe her to come inside! lol... A GREAT problem to have!

Anyway, the past four months have absolutely flown by. I was packing up the smaller clothes and can not believe how little she was just four months ago! It's absolutely unbelieveable how quickly the time has gone!

Auntie Liz!!!

Dexter

I have blue eyes!

Sisters

Sister love

Things are a-changing!

So, lots has happened in the last month... two new additions to our family- Auntie Liz & Dexter ... Grandma Potts drove with Auntie Liz out here and stayed to visit for a few days... and Matt is transferring to a new Lifetime... at least this time, we are staying in the same state, just south of Denver instead of north. :)

Here are a few pictures from this past month