Summer Beach Vacation: Take One

Last week our family headed east to Topsail Beach for the week with Mike's family.  We rented a house with his parents and his sister, her husband, and her son (who is only 2 weeks younger than Addy).  It was a fun, albeit slightly chaotic, time had by all.  I'll tell you what: vacationing with young children is no joke.  And vacationing with young children while eight months pregnant is really no joke.  Add in the nasty head cold that I had while we were there and (as Mike so nicely worded it), I was incompatible with life for a little while. ;)

But as the week wore on, the cold started going away and we all settled into our little beach week routine.  Of course it must be mentioned that Mike then caught that nasty bug, and he was feeling pretty crummy for awhile too.  Miraculously no one else in the house got it, despite us all being together in close quarters for a week.  Thank goodness!

Anyway, onto more fun topics.  Like the beach :)

Throwing the ball with Pap

 

Viewing the ocean from afar in the safety of Grandma's arms

 

Playing in the sandcastle that Grandma made :)

 

Here is where Addy preferred to be: under the umbrella.

 

I'll be honest.  Our little lady was not a fan of the beach.  We would go through all the work to get her ready to go down there, and tote along all of the junk that you have to bring for little kids, and then she'd last for maybe an hour before she was over it.  Some days not even that long.  I told her she better change her tune, and quick, because you cannot be a part of this family and not love the beach.  Period.  ;)

 

But she hated to be sandy, and every time she got sand on her hands she inevitably rubbed her eyes.  Not to mention that she usually ended up with sunscreen in her eyes at some point as well.  She was fairly content to sit in her little beach chair for awhile, but don't you dare try to take her near the "O-sh" as she called the ocean.  I have never seen anything like it.  She literally started hyperventilating every time we brought her down to the ocean.  Even being held, she wanted no parts of it.  She would point back to the blanket frantically saying "Walk. Back. Walk. Back."  It was pitiful.  I know that it's just her age, and of course the ocean is a loud, intimidating thing to a child that age.  I have visions of Addy a few years from now running and splashing in the waves having the time of her life.  Right Addy?  You WILL become a beach bum like the rest of us.  Got it??

 

Now, Luca on the other hand, LOVED the beach and the ocean.  I mean those two kiddos couldn't have been more opposite on that account.  Where as Addy was terrified and hyperventilating, Luca had no fear at all and went flying into those waves full force!

 

Heading down to the ocean with Mom and Dad

 

 

What did I tell you?  This kid loves the ocean!!

 

 

 

Family photo :)

 

 

Checking out the boats on the pier with Pap and Grandma

 

 

 

Boats, boats, boats.  Addy was obsessed with finding boats on this trip!  She loved looking out the windows of our house at the ocean and looking for boats.  Boats and "helicops".  That girl loves her moving vehicles!  To this day, over a week later, she thinks that every loud noise she hears is a helicopter.  From trucks driving by... "Helicop!", to the washer and dryer running.... "Helicop!"  It's comical and cute, but the poor thing hasn't seen an actual helicopter since we've been home from the beach.

 

One of our missions on this vacation was to get pictures of these kiddos in the adorable little Scottish outfits that Pap and Grandma got them on their vacation to Nova Scotia.  Check it out, both kids are smiling!  Addy is stretching out, getting ready for her photo shoot.  They were both in a pleasant mood, so we thought it might be easy to grab some photos.  HA HA HA HA!  You'll see....

 

 

I took a couple of Addy by herself while Lauren was getting Luca ready, but I couldn't really get any smiles out of her.  Then, all of the sudden I captured this gem...

I LOVE IT!!!  Definitely in the top ten favorite pictures of Addy!  How did it happen, you ask?  Just guess.  Guess who walked up behind me while I was snapping away.  Yup.  Daddy to the rescue!  That girl lights up like a firefly when her Daddy is around :)

So, it was all worth it because I got this one amazing picture!

Once Luca was all ready we decided to head to the beach for their little photo shoot.  Mistake Number 1.  It was so windy that day and it was like a sandstorm down there.  So of course Addy got sand in her eyes and we were there for all of 5 minutes before we turned around and went home.  But while Mike was trying to deal with Addy's sandy face, I snapped a few pics of Luca and Elmo :)

 

And here's Addy....

Doesn't she just look thrilled to be there all covered with sand?  Ha ha!

 

 

My attempts to get pictures of them together at the beach failed miserably.  Keep in mind though that all of these beach shots were taken in a matter of 5-10 minutes.



 

 

This picture makes me laugh...

We told them to give each other a kiss.  Luca is leaning in and Addy looks like she's thinking, "You are sandy, I am sandy.  Back off."  Ha ha!

 

 

And here is my next succession of pictures....

 

Oh my!!  Sandy mess doesn't even begin to cover it!  But don't worry.... Daddy came to the rescue!

"Oh thank goodness!"

 

"What happened Addy?"

"Um, I don't know.  All of the sudden I am very sandy."

"Helicop!"

 

 

So, that ended the beach photo shoot.  We were heading back to our house and saw this bench and thought we'd give it a quick try.

 

Addy can hardly open her eyes, she's so sandy.  Luca is telling her it will be OK....

 

Addy's not buying it.

 

"Someone pick me up!!!"

 

 

So we took Addy out of the equation and snapped a few pics of this little guy :)

Tried to get a quick family photo, but even this little trooper was pretty over the whole photo shoot by this point.

 

So we headed home.  Addy Marie led the way, sprinting back to the house.

 

 

 

 

The next day we headed back to the beach, since it was a much prettier, not windy day :) 

Addy got in a little bit of light reading...

And here is a picture of everyone where they are most comfortable. 

 Debbie reading in the sun.

Mike laying under the umbrella, beer resting casually on the belly ;)

And Addy Marie sitting on her chair under the umbrella....far, far away from the ocean.

Luca with his mama :)

And Addy with her mama :)

 

This was our last day at the beach.  It was gorgeous and the kids had a lot of fun that day.  Overall we made some progress with Addy by the end of the week as far as liking the beach was concerned.  On this last day she played happily for a long time.  But notice how close we are to the dunes.... meaning we are far away from the ocean.  I even tried to entice her to come down to the ocean by bringing my Italian ice down there to eat.  And we all know that Popsicles are Addy's favorite thing.  Nope.  She followed me about halfway down to the ocean and then she sat down.  And then she turned around and headed back to the blanket.  Even the lure of Italian ice wouldn't make her go near the ocean.  Ha ha!

 

So that was a glimpse of our first beach vacation of the summer.  It was a lot of fun watching Addy and Luca play together that week.  They don't get to see each other nearly enough, and I know they both had so much fun having a playmate all week.  Addy would wake up in the mornings pointing out the bedroom door saying "Luke!!"  She was ready to play!!  She still asks for "Luke", and points to pictures of little boys and says "Luke".  It's so cute!  I wish they could see each other more often.  Maybe someday :)

 

I can't believe in less than a week we are headed back to the beach for Summer Beach Vacation number 2!!!

 

A Day at the Museum

OK, I have gotten a little bit behind on my posts again, but it's catch up time.  On Mike's birthday, we decided to take Addy to the Children's museum downtown, and we all had a great day :)  The museum was very similar to the Please Touch Museum that Tina and I took her to in Philly, just on a smaller scale.  We started our day by going out for breakfast of course, because you all know how much this family loves their breakfast.  And then we began our day at the museum:

Addy discovered this enchanted forest area, and she loved going in and out of this "secret" door.  In and out, in and out...for like 20 minutes!

 

She even found a friend that was just her size to play with in there :)

 

 

How cute is this phone booth?  What child doesn't love to play with phones?

 

 

Addy and Daddy played on the pirate ship, while Mommy stayed safe back on "land".

 

 

I would also say that all little kids love "driving" cars too, and Addy is no exception.

 

 

Doing some building with Daddy.  Notice the sticker on Addy's back?  That was our admission ticket, but Addy refused to wear the sticker, so we had to sneak it on her back ;)

 

Playing basketball with Daddy

 

Notice a common theme here?  Yup, Daddy was in on most of the action at the museum, while this whale of a mommy hung back and took the obligatory photos.  We all had such a great day though, and there is really nothing that I love more than seeing our little girl playing with her Daddy.  She absolutely adores him and it makes my heart happy watching them play together.  I think Daddy had a pretty terrific birthday :)

 

 

18 Months!

Dear Addy,

You are a year and a half old now!  It's amazing how time flies, and before you know it, you will be a big sister to baby Emma!  I know that you will be a great big sister, because you love the idea of baby Emma already.  You hug and kiss my belly multiple times a day, and you gently pet it saying "baby" or "Emmy".  It is the sweetest thing in the whole world :)  Whenever we hang out in the new nursery you run over to the crib and say "Emmy", like you somehow know that pretty soon your sister will be sleeping there.  It never ceases to amaze me how smart you are.

Daddy took you to your 18 month doctors appointment and luckily you did much better with your shots this time.  No fevers or reactions at all!  Here are your measurements:

Weight: 24 lbs 13.5 oz (75th percentile)
Length: 34.5 inches (98th percentile)
Head circ: 48cm (86th percentile)

This month your new obsession is Popsicles.  You want them every minute of every day.  You will run to the freezer and say "poc", or if you are crying for some unknown reason and I ask you what you need, you inevitably respond with "poc".  We limit you to one or two a day, but sometimes it feels like all I say all day long is, "You are not having a Popsicle right now."  Ha ha!

Cookies come in a close second to Popsicles, so if you can't get your hands on a "poc", you will run to the cabinet, point to it and say "cook".  It's funny how you think that if I won't give you a Popsicle, maybe I'll give you a cookie, even though I never do. 

But you are mommy's little girl, that's for sure.  We both have a major sweet tooth.  The other day we went out for frozen yogurt (as we have been doing A LOT this summer), and you wanted a Popsicle when we got home.  I told you no, and that you just had frozen yogurt.  Shortly afterward, we put you to bed and I got myself a bowl of ice cream.  Daddy looked at me and said, "You wouldn't give Addy seconds, but you are gonna have some, huh?  Nice."  Hee hee.  You were fast asleep :)


Daddy and I need to be careful though, because I can see how the whole toddler diet can be a slippery slope.  Lately you have been picky, which we aren't used to, and I have to remind myself to always offer you healthy options, even if you don't eat them.  I just hate seeing food go to waste, so I now see how parents fall into the trap of feeding their kids the same things all of the time.  Because they know it will get eaten.  But we give you what we eat when possible, and if you don't eat it, then your meal is over.  I am no short order cook!  But you have become quite the little drama queen and you will throw a fit in your high chair.  So we just take you down and let you cry for awhile.  It's usually just a matter of minutes before something distracts you and you forget all about your mealtime woes.

Your favorite toys these days are balls, and you love when Daddy and I will bounce a ball for you or when we throw the ball for Daisy.  You try to throw the ball for Daisy too, which is so cute, but it doesn't go very far, so Daisy almost never fetches it for you :(  As was the case you were a newborn baby, you still love to be outside.  Despite the insane heat down here in NC (which Mommy cannot handle in these late pregnancy days), you would be outside all day if we let you.

You had your first week long trip away from Mommy and Daddy this month, and you were a rock star.  We knew you would be fine, as you have always adapted well to new places.  Apparently it was Daisy that had a tough time adapting at first.  Who would've thought?  You spent the week with Grandpa and Grandma Hertzler, and I know they had a great time with you as well.  You are growing up so fast!

After your big trip away, we transitioned you from two naps a day to one.  It has worked well so far, so I know you were ready.  We had to do that soon anyway because you are starting "preschool" in less than two months, which is Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9-12:30.  So that AM nap had to be dropped before "school" starts.  The bonus of dropping down to one nap is that you have been sleeping even longer at night.  You usually sleep for 13-14 hours (from 7PM to about 8-9AM).  You are exhausted now by 7:00, so we typically start your bedtime routine around 6:30 and have you in bed at 7.  It has been wonderful in that respect. 

However, I was secretly hoping that one nap a day would mean one longer nap.  No such luck.  While you have always been a great night time sleeper, you have always been a poor napper.  And unfortunately that hasn't changed.  Your nap is typically 1- 1.5 hours.  Sigh.  And if you even fall asleep for two minutes in the car, you won't nap when we get home.  So I try to keep you awake in the car at all costs.  But sometimes it doesn't work, and then you end up with no significant nap that day.  Not to mention that the slightest noise will inevitably wake you up from a nap.  I try to not even go upstairs while you are napping because the creek of the steps wakes you up!  It has always amazed me that you sleep like a rock at night, but you are the lightest daytime sleeper.  We have had some really bad thunderstorms in the middle of the night lately that shake the whole house and wake both Daddy and I out of a deep sleep, but you never even budge.  But yet during the day, the creek of the steps will have you popping your little head up, standing up in your crib, and letting us know that nap time is over.  It's like you don't want to miss anything.  (Which, again, hasn't changed since you were a newborn.)  It'll be interesting to see how you adapt to a crying baby.  Fun times ahead!

You are of course, saying more and more words, and your big ones this moth are: puffs, up (which you say for up and down), shoes, two (the only number you say), blue (the only color you say), Mama, Dada work (ha ha), T (for Aunt Tina), park (you love to go to the park), and Aubrey (your new friend).  You say bye-bye like a little southern belle, which is so cute.  And you are also mimicking lots of other words that we say.  Plus, you definitely know yes and no.  You say no (also in a very cute little voice), but you still just shake your head for yes.  That's fine though, because at least now it's easier for you to communicate what you want with us.

We finally turned your car seat around so that you are facing front in the Yukon.  We still have the car seat in the Accord facing back because we just haven't gotten around to it it.  But you like to face forward and see what is going on around you.  Your little legs were getting too long to keep you backwards in the Yukon, and you couldn't fully stretch them out anymore.  Your other car seat is different and your legs still don't touch the backseat in the Accord, so we haven't been in a huge rush to turn that one.

You have ten teeth (6 bottom and 4 top), and those bottom molars were a beast coming in.  I know your top ones are coming too and I am not looking forward to that for either of our sakes.  You are just so pitiful when those teeth are coming and I feel so helpless to make you feel better.  I'll admit that I gave you more Popsicles than I probably should have during those times :)

And guess what?  Still no haircut for you!  How many months have I been saying that we are going to give you one, yet we never do.  Every time I bring it up, Daddy says, "Not yet."  He loves your little rat tail and wild sides.  They get especially wild in the heat and humidity of the summer.  Someday we will cut your hair Addy.  I promise.

How I managed to sneak that bow in for these pictures without you ripping it out is beyond me.  Normally you will not tolerate any accessories in your hair.

You are loving to give hugs and kisses these days, and Mommy and Daddy are loving that too!  Especially in the morning when we pick you up out of your crib, you will give us multiple hugs and kisses.  We'll take them!!

Other things that you love lately include: any animals, planes, sniffing flowers (love that face you make!), your baby doll (you like to rock her), your toy cars, and going to the park.  Boy you are on a park kick lately.  You will say "park" multiple times a day, and I feel bad, but lately it has been too hot to go.  But we go when we can and you love the swings the most.  Plus, you are getting very brave and going down slides by yourself!

Daddy, of course, continues to be your main man.  You love him to pieces and I think that is the sweetest thing in the world.  No one can make you smile like Daddy can, and no one can make him smile like you can.  Watching the two of you together is so heartwarming, and I really love the bond that you two have already :)  When Daddy is at work you will bring me the phone or his shoes to let me know that you want him to come home.  So sweet :)  Also, anytime you are playing with your phone and I ask you who you are calling, the answer is always "Dada" (whether he is home or not!).

Here is me trying to get you to smile:

That is the fakest smile I've every seen Addy!

And here is what happened when I gave Daddy the camera:

That's the smile we all know and love!

Well Addy, this letter ended up being long winded as always, but I feel like I have so much to say about each and every month with you.  I just don't want to forget anything, and I want you to be able to look back someday and see what you were like at each stage of your childhood.  You bring such a huge amount of joy to our lives and we love you more than you could ever imagine!

Love,

Mommy

July Self Portrait

This past month Tina took my maternity photos for baby number two, and the feeling of, "This house is not ready" has really started giving me anxiety.  Mike keeps telling me to calm down about it, and that since we already had one baby, and now we're having another girl, there isn't much that we need anyway.  While I know that this is true, my nesting instinct has arrived in full force this month. 

This would be well and good if I felt like I time to nest.  Which I don't, because I spend my days chasing around a toddler who does not have the patience to play by herself quietly while I get a nursery ready.  Therefore, we have a bedroom for Emma, yes, but it is not yet ready for her to come home to, and she will be here in less than two months! 

We have a crib, but no mattress.  We have clothes, but they are still packed away in the attic somewhere.   I haven't ordered any new cloth diapers yet, and I'm not exactly sure what my plan of action will be.  I have 18 diapers right now, which will surely not be enough for both a newborn and a toddler.  Unless I want to be washing them constantly, which I obviously do not.  

And I do not have a single decoration completed for the nursery either.  Sigh.  I feel bad already that Emma will not have a room designated as her own, but she will have to share it with a guest room and be booted out every time guests come.  Therefore I want to make it special for her and make some cute decorations, I just never seem to have the time.

OK, so there is my venting about my nesting anxiety.  I know in my head that it will all work out, and that she is a baby and won't care where she sleeps or how it is decorated, but it's a mom thing I guess.  I just want her room to be ready and perfect for her to come home to.  So we'll see if I can kick it into high gear in these next few weeks amongst beach vacations (yup, pleural), keeping the rest of the house in order, and chasing around little Addy Marie.  Wish me luck!!  And Emma, do Mommy a favor and do not come early.  OK?  Thanks!

Oh yeah, and after all of that, here is my self portrait:

Please Touch Museum and Outdoor Fun!

After we left Camp SOKI, Addy and and I went back to Philly with Tina and Jay while Mike headed home to NC.  (I guess someone has to work, huh?)  We had a short visit of only two days in Philly, but we made the most of it.  On Monday, Tina suggested that we take Addy to the Please Touch Museum.  Well, I'm so glad that she did, because that place is awesome!  It was definitely expensive, and not some place that you could visit frequently, but it is just the coolest place for little kids.  It'll be even cooler when Addy gets a little bit older.  But they had a lot of sections for children under three, so we hit all of those up. 

Our first stop was the baby duck pond, which Addy loved :)

Then we hit up the forest:

And the Jungle:

And Fairy Tale Land:

Then we went to the Alice in Wonderland area:

And Addy loved, loved, loved this particular slide.  She did not want to leave this spot.

They had this house section with gardening tools, and Addy loved that blue rake.  She just raked and raked.

Then she took a break from all of her hard labor on the front porch :)

We headed into the kitchen to whip up some dinner...

...which we were miraculously able to do before going to the grocery store (ha ha):

Then came the Things That Move area:

Addy drove the city bus :)

We put some giant magnets on a giant wall:

Went to the Space Station:

And we ended our trip back in the Baby Duck Pond area since Addy liked it so much.

We had so much fun at the museum, and as you can see from the pictures, Aunt Tina got a workout from chasing Addy around, hoisting her up to see things, etc.  I was simply the one behind the camera.  Roles were a little reversed, huh?  I owe my sister big time for doing all of that for Addy, because my pregnant self surely could not handle all of that lifting.  Tina and Addy were worn out after our excursion. 

Addy was so worn out, in fact, that she napped for about 15 minutes on the way home.... which meant that she refused to take an actual nap once we got home.  I hate those short car cat naps.  It never fails that if Addy falls asleep (even for 5 minutes) in the car, she will not take a nap once we get home.  We put her in her crib and left her up there for an hour and a half... and she didn't sleep a wink!  I kept thinking she was bound to crash soon, but she never did.

So we headed outside for some water time:

I did not think that Addy would be into this sprinkler idea.  You know, with her being so wimpy, and the water being cold and all.  But she loved it!

She kept saying, "More! More! More!"

Then we got out the good old bucket of water and had some fun with that too:)

It was a great day, and we were sad to go home the following day.  But, on the other hand, it felt good to get home after being away for almost two weeks!