Let the summer fun begin

This past week, I have been a posting maniac.  Honestly though...I need the mental break from my classes.  This lets me do something I enjoy and just relax a bit.  Plus, a post does not take too long so I allow my little quicky breaks.  I am taking three classes right now and two of them require for me to create a database and the other is just a lot of reading and homework.  Three weeks left...I can do this.  Then...let the summer fun begin!!!  I am excited for some summer plans we have as a family and then just the two of us.  Plus, I have a few interesting work trips coming up and another that will allow me to have a quick visit home.  It has been almost 3 years, so a trip home is due. 

Today, we bought the kiddies a little pool to cool off in.  Mae instantly loved it. Colin had to warm up to it and then stayed in there forever.  It is getting hot here so it will be a great way to keep the kids cool this summer.

Oh, some cute Colin tidbits.  Today Will and Colin bought me a little lego Harry Potter set.  It was really cute. Colin loves legos and has been enjoying building the Star Wars sets with Will, so he thought he should get me one of a book/movie I like.  Such a sweetie.  We built it together while daddy made dinner. 

This lady at Will's work was talking to Will about taking a picture of us as a family when we went to her kids birthday this weekend.  Of course, Will's response was - "I hate pictures".  The lady responded, "why you are hot!".  As he was telling me this story during dinner, Colin reaches over and touches his skin and says, "dad you are not hot at all".  It was so adorable. 

Colin wanted to pretend the couch was the batmobile and I was Batgirl (he was Batman) and we were going to the bad guys base.  I asked him who Meli was..."oh she is a princess of course!". 

Today we tried to do a lot of family things.  Colin asked me the other day when I would be done with homework so he could play with me.  He said that he wishes I was done with it forever.  Broke my heart. I try hard to do it when they are sleeping or doing something out and about with daddy...but this term that has been hard.  Poor guy. 

~ Love, Hugs &Kisses ~

The B Family

Apples & Oranges

I started this post forever ago but let it slip into the forgotten drafts...and since I am in a much needed break from school work (my mind is going to mush) I am blogging.

 I know that everyone says every kid/baby is different, which is true but sometimes I am so blown away by how different Meli and Colin really are. Even during pregnancy they were totally different.

• I was nauseous for a long time with Colin but never really got sick but with Meli I did not have to deal with being nauseous for very long. 
• With Colin I did not get an appetite until about 7 months if that and with Meli I was hungry from the get go.  Luckily gained about the same for both.
• Colin constantly moved and only gave me breaks for an hour or two here and there.  Meli I guess moved a lot but I could not feel her unless I ate ice cream.
• Colin had to be induced and Meli was going to be but came on her own.  The deliveries were about the same (even with the first epidural not working, but with Meli I did not have time for a second). Both very minimal pushing and less then 5 minutes each. A blessing.
• As a baby, Colin had a rough first few months with his tummy bothering him...so sleep was not a word were were familiar with.  After those three months then it was more normal.  It worked though.  I think it was such a norm to have no sleep that we adapted.  I remember being completely functional and was back to work and everything 6 weeks later. Meli did not have as much trouble sleeping.  She was pretty good from the beginning...but she would have a rough week every few months.  You would think that would be ideal but I think it made it more difficult because we were used to sleeping normally the rest of the time.
• Colin is very outgoing while Meli is a little more reserved.  She just needs to warm up a bit.  Compared to how I was as a child she is not shy at all though. 
• Colin has crazy energy and talks a lot but Meli can keep up.  She is constantly moving as well but it was definitely more noticeable with Colin.  I think because he was so in your face about it and Meli can entertain her self quite well.  Very indepedent little thing.
• Colin loves shows (we limit his time in front of the tv but he would watch all day if he could)...Meli could care less about tv.  She will not watch it at all...unless some kind of sport is on.  For some reason she will watch football for a bit.
• Colin was so happy all of the time (we were spoiled)...very go with the flow on things - Meli will let you know when she is not a happy camper. She is possibly a little bossy.
• Colin does not like getting his face wet or swimming.  Meli will do a face dive in the bathtub every few seconds.  She is crazy comfortable with water.
• Meli is a very brave, tough girl.  Colin may be a little timid (my sweet, sensitive little guy).  As babies they were both terrified of the vaccuum cleaner...Colin still was until recently. He would just cover his ears and scream.  Meli put her head down and marched over to the vaccuum (while it was going) and grabbed the tubing.  She conquered it.  Both have good and bad things to it.
• Colin was a little chunky monkey while Meli is a skinny minnie. 

Hmmm...anything else. Well one thing that they have in common that I am so thankful for...is that so far neither have been sick too often.  Meli has had a runny nose here and there but nothing really came of it.  For Colin's age he actually has not been sick that often at all.  I tend to be the one that gets sick more.  Colin comes home with a runny nose and then I am sick.  He ends up fine.  This could be surprising because of daycare but it probably helps that we found two amazing people that are crazy good with wiping down everything each day.  Even if not, I am a believer that being exposed to germs early on is good.  Builds good immune systems. 

It is crazy with all of their differences but they still have a lot of similarities as well.  I am glad for the differences though.  It keeps things balanced and interesting. 

~ Love, Hugs & Kisses ~

The B Family

Dancing Ballerina

Well maybe not a ballerina yet, but she sure loves to dance! Even the day of her surgery she was trying to dance like 5 hours later.  At least she was in a codeine stupor so it did not hurt her. 

This was this last weekend. Colin is dancing to the Super Hero Squad song.  He is being Iron Man, Silver Surfer, Hulk and Wolverine.

This one was a few months ago.  Pre-surgery.  You can see her hernia.  This video makes me laugh everytime.

Then here is our little ballerina.

In her birthday outfit

This is her in the car after surgery.  Enjoying her codeine slumber.

~ Love, Hugs & Kisses ~

The B Family

Oh by the way...

I forgot to give recent Meli stats.  The day of her surgery she was 20lbs (skinny minnie) and i cannot remember exactly but it was between 31 and 32 inches.  She talks a lot but not always very clear.  We start to think that she says some big words but then we tell ourselves that it cannot be...but she is consistent with saying the same things and it sounds like it.  Some of the things we know she is saying are: five (for high five), do (like do it), eat, door, plus stuff she has been saying for a while.  She also says the cutes baby talk.  I have decided that she has the cutest baby voice that I have ever heard...not bias at all, but it really is super cute.  

My post may not be as frequent for the next several weeks.  I have a lot I need to post especially some recent Italy travel ones.  Hopefully soon...

~ Love, Hugs & Kisses ~

 The B Family

The world through Colin's eyes

 Colin always sees his mama taking pictures...I am a bit crazy with it but I love photography and I love when I capture that perfect moment in a way that I can always keep.  Forever, as Colin would say.  This is probably why he has been really wanting a camera. He takes any chance he can to use our cell phone cameras.  Whenever I look through my phone pics I notice a few unfamiliar ones. So, thank you to Grammie he has his first digital camera.  It is actually pretty decent for something that a 4 year old can use.  It is a Cars camera and came with software so that he can store and edit the pictures.  Anyway, he went crazy with it.  I love looking at his pictures. He is still working on holding it steady so as to not have blurry pictures, but he is 4 after all.  Here are some of my favorites.

I just thought this was cool how Meli is not all there

He even did a self portrait.

The last one you can see he was starting to understand holding it steady. 

~ Love, Hugs & Kisses ~

The B Family

Princess Mae turns 1

Our little baby girl turned one on May 10th.  This year has been an amazing one with our two adorable kids.  We had a little celebration on her actual birthday but then had a party on Saturday because my mom flew out for a visit.  It was so great being able to celebrate her first year with Grammie. 

The party theme was cupcakes and a lot of pink and purple.  Mae wore a little tutu and then a cute onesie with buttons sewed on to make a 1.  She was adorable!

Meli getting ready for cake.

Colin made her a build-a-bear named Spot.  He picked it out himself.

Meli did not make as much of a mess as Colin did with his first cupcake but she thoroughly enjoyed mushing it in her hands.

 Colin went up to tell Meli "happy birthday" while she was playing with her cake...she looked at him and then totally rubbed cake all over his face.  Priceless.

Meli playing with Colin's truck.

~ Love, Hugs & Kisses ~

 The B Family

Meli's Surgery

Just an update...Meli had her surgery and is doing well. We are headed home now. She was such a good girl and Colin was so good at taking care of her.

Happy Birthday, Mae!!

I cannot believe that today is our baby girl's first birthday.  It went by way too fast!  I will post more later after we celebrate this weekend...but just had to post a little birthday love.  This has been such an amazing year with the addition of Meli to the family.  She truly brings a lot of character, entertainment and joy.  I love my little princess!

~ Love, Hugs & Kisses ~

The B Family

The Sweetest Thing

Is coming home from a trip and seeing my babies' smiling faces and the hottest husband in the world. Who by the way does such an amazing job at being mama and daddy while I am away. I am so thankful for having a partner I can depend on so much! Thank you honey!!

The Dinos are COMING!!

I will be in Europe soon...you would think I would be thinking of all the cool places I will be seeing but no...I am sitting here thinking of my recent moments with Colin this past week that will get me through the next few weeks.

Here are a few:

*Our new car game is that dinosaurs are chasing us.  Colin will randomly yell, "the dinosaurs are coming!!!"  Then he pretends he has a lever that will make us go faster. He will tell me what the dinos are doing.  Like eating the buildings or a tree fell and blocked their path.  It is a very exciting game!
*Recently, at the ATM drive-thru Colin thought it was funny that I was having issues reaching the slot for the card.  He informed me that we need  to have dad here.  He said, "it is a dad work...he can reach anything"
*Colin has been enjoying looking at all of my books on the bookshelves.  He pulls one out and asks me questions about it.  Today we went through all of the Harry Potter ones.
*This morning he packed all of his soccer gear right when he woke up.  Even though we were not going for several hours.  He even packed things for Mae.  He brought down her diaper and wipes.  Such a sweet big brother.
*This morning he also asked me to do homework with him sitting on my lap.  He said, "I help you mama"

What a sweetie.

Meli has been conquering the stairs.  She loves to climb up them.  She has been doing this the past few weeks and is getting pretty fast at it.  Still makes me nervous though.  That girl has no fear. She wants to walk down them but we block it off.  She is also saying "buh-bye" and "hi" but not all of the time.

~ Love, Hugs & Kisses ~

The B Family