"Merry Christmas Kevin."

Dear Diary,

As I sit in the playroom while my girls are occupied with new toys and movies, I have come to the conclusion that Addalyn and Olivia are extremely lucky.

Normally I would say how lucky Garrett and I are, which we are, but today as I look at this playroom, I can't help but be amazed. I mean look at this place...

I would have killed for a playroom like this when I was little. And don't get me wrong, I was very fortunate as a child as well, but come on, what little girl wouldn't want a room dedicated to their toys that has more pink and purple in it than Barbie's Dream House? And with my organizational skills and constant need to keep it tidy, they are in toy heaven!

If you hadn't noticed, Christmas was good to us. We got to spend it at home, in our own house, which was both rewarding and challenging. I made a decision that when my kids were old enough to understand what was going on, I wanted to have Christmas at home to start our own traditions. Some of my best memories are of all the familiar things we did every year at Christmas time so I want the same for my girls.

While I was happy to be home, I was also extremely busy. I now have a new appreciation for my Mother and Mother-In-Law who have spent many Holidays in their kitchen. Big, fancy meals are a lot of work and if you do it right, it takes up a lot of your time, but the end result is definitely worth it. Garrett and I decided on a Christmas Eve meal and I am proud to say it tasted exactly as it should have. I may have been mashing potatoes 15 minutes before we had to leave for Christmas Eve Mass, but the important thing is that dinner was warm and ready when we got home and it tasted delicious!

The girls got to open one gift a piece (okay, more like Addy got to open 2 gifts) and we watched traditional Christmas movies before setting out the milk and cookies (okay crying because Addy thought they were for her ) and heading to bed.

Olivia woke everyone up at an early 6:45AM and we headed down to see what Santa brought. It is one of my favorite Christmas' of all time and I hardly got a thing (although I love my new socks Santa brought me in my stocking). I made a nice breakfast, then more food for the afternoon and we spent the day with my family opening gifts and playing an exciting game of Celebrity that we will all remember for years to come.


Life is good. Some people need holidays and special events to realize how good life is, but I just need to wake up each morning with my little family and I know how good I have it. Blessed beyond words for sure.

AND, it's not even over! We will have a post Christmas celebration with my in-laws this weekend. I can't imagine where any more toys will go, BUT I do know I will have a blast finding a perfect spot for them in this ridiculous playroom.

Happy New Year! Hug Your Family!

Sincerely Yours,

“My ability to turn good news into anxiety is rivaled only by my ability to turn anxiety into chin acne.” - Tina Fey, Bossypants

Dear Diary,

Christmas is in 4 days. Of course I have last minute things to do, I am nothing if I am not a procrastinator, but despite the small amount of anxiety I have I am SUPER excited for Christmas.

I have more duties to do this year than in the past, like baking sweets and preparing big meals and hiding Santa's toys so Garrett's daughter cant find them. I say Garrett's daughter because Mr. Present Snooper has met his match. At 2 years old she has already found one present and opened it. How will I ever manage to hide things in years to come? Mary Ann, I feel your pain. Like Father, like Daughter.

Addy is counting down the days and lets just say if Santa doesn't bring her "toys" she is going to be pissed. No toy in particular, she just wants "toys!" And Liv has no idea what's going on but she sure is happy about it. My little cruiser spends her days smiling and running everywhere she can. She may be the smallest, fastest walker of all time. She rarely has a plan as to where she is going but she is always getting there fast!

Christmas also marks one month until Jordan's wedding. Man that snuck up fast. Can't believe my little sister is going to be married! And I really can't believe I am going to put on a bridesmaid dress in 30 some days... probably should have done less baking this holiday season. Oh well. You'll be surprised to know that Jordan's wedding day IS NOT about me so I think all eyes will be distracted by the BEAUTIFUL BRIDE!! Can't wait to see her =)

On a side note, I just finished the funniest book I have ever read, Tina Fey's Bossypants. I was so busy last week with sick kids, and orders, and Christmas preparation that I should not have been reading but I started it and I could not put it down. Finished it in two days and was extremely sad it was over. There really was no point to it, just random happenings of Tina's life, but I have never laughed out loud that many times while reading a book. Highly recommended!

Alright I am off! The girls want breakfast - so demanding - and I have chores to do! Merry, Merry Christmas!

Sincerely Yours,

I Am A Bad Ass In My Own Mind

Dear Diary,

I am far from optimistic about things in life. It tends to drive my husband crazy. For instance, if we are going on vacation and flying to get there my immediate complaint is that all my luggage will get lost and my clothes will be gone forever. Has my luggage ever been lost? No. So why do I think that will happen to me? I have no idea but I have more than convinced myself that it will happen.
　
I think this way about everything. I look at it as thinking positive though because at least I am never let down. If we go on vacation and my luggage doesn't get lost then, Yay. Hooray for me! I can put a check mark in the "good day" box.
　
Where is this story going? Well tonight I ran a couple errands after dark to avoid having to get the girls out with me tomorrow to do it. I went to my usual, Hobby Lobby and the store. I know, you must be surprised it wasn't to the local liquor store and XXX video right?
　
ANYWAY, so I make my last stop at the store and because I am stubborn I insist on only carrying a basket around for my "few" items which always turns out to be the wrong choice. I am struggling to balance everything as I make my way to the register, but I get there and the nice sacker get everything ready for me to make yet another awkward trip out to my car because who needs a cart when you are awesome right?
　
As I am carrying way too many things I notice there is a truck parked right next to me that is running. As I walk/hobble toward my vehicle the truck is not backing up or turning off. My immediate thought is, "There is some murderer in that truck, waiting for me to get to my car and as I am struggling to get the 15 bags that I am carrying into the back end of my SUV he is going to grab me and take me somewhere to kill me."
　
A few years ago I seriously probably would have turned around and went back inside until the truck left because I would have been too scared to see what would have come about. Today my thought process went a little something like this, and I am not exaggerating at all, "Oh well. Let that bastard come at me. I will stab him."
　
Really Lindsey? You will stab him? With what do you plan on stabbing him with? And how exactly do you plan on doing that with 87 bags in your hands?
　
There are so many things wrong with this story. First of all, why was I jumping to conclusions when all I was dealing with was a truck with its engine running a little too long next to my car? Second of all, why all of a sudden did I think I was part of a gang and had a dagger at hand for such a situation?
　
What I did realize in the lengthy 10 seconds that this situation played out was that I think I am some kind of a bad ass, and that I obviously think I have a heck of a lot to live for. So if anyone thinks they are going to take that away from me then I guess I am going to stab you. Moral of the story - Don't mess me me. At least not at the grocery store.
　
The real moral of the story - Grab a cart.
　
Oh, and if you were wondering. The "murderer" in the truck was actually a woman who appeared like she was trying to warm her hands. Obviously she was waiting on someone inside while A-Holes like me were plotting on how they would stab her if she came too close.

Sincerely Yours,

Tales From The Playroom

Tales from the Playroom

Garrett has the day off so we are of course spending our morning down in the playroom. The girls are doing their usual while Garrett is lounging on Big Bear watching Home Alone and I am snuggled under a blanket with the laptop. I my as well log the happenings because I am sure something noteworthy will happen.

9:09 AM: Addy is stacking blocks and Olivia keeps knocking them over. After a few quiet grunts of frustration Addy decided to push Olivia over. I guess Olivia had it coming but I had to scold Addy anyway.

9:13 AM: Olivia has now ventured over to the other side of the playroom. I am pretty sure this is her favorite place of all time. And why wouldn't it be? There are only like 4 million things for her to chew on. She is currently pushing the same button repeatedly on the ABC Sesame Street Bus. I am hoping that will bore her soon because it is annoying.

9:15 AM: Addy has now stacked her blocks extremely high.

9:20 AM: Annndd the beast just came back over and knocked them all down again. Addy's response, "Ahhhhhhh!!!!"

9:22 AM: Addy: "Liva, NO! (while pushing her) Do someting! Get da toys... Go! "MOOOOOM!!"

9:23 AM: Olivia is not moving.

9:26 AM: Addy has given up and is moving on to a new game. She must have decided to be the bigger person...

9:29 AM: The first meltdown. Addy is trying to turn on Garrett's old cell phone to look at "pictures" and it won't stay on because it has no battery. I've attempted to explain this to her but she doesn't want to hear it. So I'll let her cry it out while I continue typing. It's called good parenting =)

9:31 AM: Olivia doesn't mind it has no battery as she has picked it up and is chewing on it. One person's trash has become another's treasure.

9:34 AM: Kevin is running from the fat cop after he stole the toothbrush from the store on the corner. If only that cop could have caught him. He could have avoided a lot of trouble but then we wouldn't have a movie now would we?

9:36 AM: Olivia has walked herself over to Dad and Big Bear and is smiling/dancing/grunting with excitement as she tries to eat Big Bear.

9:42 AM: Hey great news, Olivia has found the Sesame Street Bus again! I just want to take a minute and thank Megan and Doug for getting us the loudest toys ever created. The play vacuum will surely be out before long and I can't tell you how much I just love that thing.

9:44 AM: Quick change of events, Olivia almost pulled the table over on top of her but managed to regain her balance and steady the table back on all four legs. She's a machine!

9:47 AM: Garrett is asleep. Seriously, how can he possibly be tired already?

9:49 AM: Addy is now stacking the blocks on a table where hopefully Olivia cant reach. Smart girl. And apparently extremely determined to build the world's tallest block statue.

9:53 AM: Olivia was playing with a toy and Addy just took it from her. I am going to sit back and see how this one plays out...

Still 9:53 AM: As usual Olivia just let her have it, only in time for Addy to not really have any interest in the toy to begin with and move on to something else. Olivia has regained ownership of the toy and all is well.

10:00 AM: Olivia made her way over to me and clearly would like to be held. It is time for her morning nap so I suppose I will get off of here.

You just experienced an hour of our day. You're Welcome =)

Sincerely Yours,

Imagine This Is A Clever Title

Dear Diary,

3 Things I Need:  

(1) A good nail color. Preferably something dark. And something cheap. If it isn't under $4.99, I don't want it.

(2) Ice Cream. Yes, I am one of those people that crave ice cream even when it's 2 degrees out. I worked out a majority of this week - I deserve it!

(3) Clean Floors. I cleaned today - everything but the kitchen and the floors, which I plan on doing tomorrow, but the thought of getting down and scrubbing isn't appealing to me in the slightest. Good thing I enjoy the outcome so much or else it would never get done!

3 Things I Am Excited About:

(1) Christmas. Addy couldn't love Christmas more than she does. I thought we'd have a hard time liking anything more than Halloween but she has outdone herself. When we go to gymnastics she points out the window to every house with Christmas lights and says, "Mom! Christmas!" and then wants, "More Christmas!" My favorite was when we drove by our grocery store that was all lit up with lights and she said, "Aw, pretty I ever saw!" Christmas is going to be awesome this year. I can't wait!

(2) Garrett's Work Christmas Party. The party is tomorrow night and really it's not even the party that I am all that excited about, although it should be a good time. I am excited I get to go out for a few hours with my husband. It goes without saying that I don't get out much. Neither of us do in fact. That comes with the territory when you have two little ones and I am perfectly fine with that. I really can't tell you the last time Garrett and I did anything alone so lets hope for a good time and some kind of a tolerance for alcohol. I'll take it slow - I've already promised myself!

(3) Ice Cream. Did I mention this already?

3 Things I Love:

(1) Olivia's steps. This girl is on a roll! She walks everywhere and she loves every second of it. She is so proud of what she is doing and as soon as I make eye contact with her she gets the biggest grin on her face. Ah, I love her!

(2) Addy's one-liners. My newest favorite moment (all you Hocus Pocus fans will understand): I am trying to get her to fall asleep the other night and as soon as all is quiet she turns toward me and says, "Ohh Allison...Ohhh Allison!" She sounded EXACTLY like the little girl from Hocus Pocus and I about pee'd my pants laughing - which didn't help with the sleeping situation but it was worth it. She. Is. So. Funny.

(3) A newly organized playroom. As if it wasn't organized enough, we got new shelves and hung those last weekend which required me to do some rearranging of the set up and now I love my playroom even more. ANNNDDD once Christmas is over and we are adding new toys to the family, I will be reorganizing once again! It's my favorite job!

3 Things I'm About To Do:

(1) Get off this computer.

(2) Put Liv to bed.

(3) Eat some ice cream.

Sincerely Yours,

Olivia Walking - 8 Months Old

Olivia walking and her snotty sister being snotty...

"Throw it to 2nd Smalls!...Kaayyy!"

Dear Diary,

My kid is funny. Everyone thinks that but my kid is reaaaalllyy funny. The things she says and does constantly catch me off guard and I cant tell you how many times Garrett and I are laughing our heads off.

She knows EVERYTHING. How? I have no idea. I wish I could take the credit. I mean I teach her things, of course I do, but she says things that I have no idea where it came from or how in t world she knows anything about it.

She is abnormal in that she likes movies that aren't for her age group. With the exception of Toy Story (which is kind of a grown up movie in itself) we aren't watching pixar and cartoon movies. Her favorites are Hocus Pocus, The Sandlot, Wizard of Oz, and now Home Alone 1 and 2. She likes movies with real people and I kid you not, it takes only one or two viewings before she knows every line. It's a tad bit creepy. She'll just bust out these lines out of nowhere and I just stare at her stunned before I make her repeat it to me 15 times to make sure I am hearing her right. It's amazing.

I should write them all down and I will kick myself someday when I cant remember all the things she says or does but at least I will always remember how many times that kid makes me smile in a days time.

LOVE HER! And Liva too of course :)

Sincerely Yours,

Happy Birthday To Me!

Dear Diary,

I tried to get to everyone who wrote me a message yesterday wishing me a Happy Birthday! If I somehow overlooked you, I am sorry! I feel like if you took the time to write me a message, I can take the time to respond! Not to mention I am the worst at wishing people a Happy Birthday on FB. For some reason I don't see the little birthday reminders EVER. So that makes me appreciate all the messages even more! So Thank You!

Birthdays are not what they used to be, although I have never been one to get overly excited about my Birthday. Yesterday was extremely regular, which is okay because I love my regular life so I guess a regular day on my Birthday isn't so bad. I decided on Monday night that I did want a Birthday cake so at 9:15PM I ran over to the store to get what I needed. For dinner I went with pizza because 1.) It sounded good, and 2.) We had coupons. Because it was a typical day, Garrett was a little late from work, which was a slight bummer, but what are you going to do? So, I baked my own cake, picked up my own dinner, and cleaned up the mess - not to mention I gave both girls their baths and folded all the laundry before Garrett walked in the door at 7:00! But the good news is that I got the cake I wanted, the first pick of the pizza slices AND I can use the "I handled my own Birthday" excuse for a few days to get out of nightly duties =)

Addy did sing me Happy Birthday though. Yes, I had to remind her several times that it was my Birthday and yes, she only got about halfway through the song, but I still enjoyed it nonetheless!

Moving on from Birthday news - I have to take the time to complain about the horrible customer service at Toys R Us. I think I hate the place. Which is no surprise because I hate Babies R Us too.

I tried to take advantage of "Cyber Monday" only to not be able to submit my online order because the website was getting "too much traffic." I didn't want to lose my deal so I called Customer Service to figure out what was going on and she more or less told me there was nothing she could do and to "keep trying." If I wanted words of encouragement I would have called a friend - JUST HELP ME PLACE MY ORDER!

Obviously everyone else was having trouble as well because Toys R Us extended their deals another 24 hours. So, by yesterday morning I was able to get my order to go through only to wake up today and have an email saying the one item I REALLY wanted was cancelled because they don't have it like they told me they did. And to make matters worse, it was a buy one get one 50% off so now I have no idea if I get the second one half off or if they are going to charge me full price for it. URRGHHHHHH!

I have placed orders through Amazon and Target and have had NO trouble and received them in an extremely timely manner. I will not be placing any more orders through Toys R Us and once I figure out they have screwed me on my half off item, which I know they will, I will be cancelling the rest of my current order as well! How can such a well known, huge chain store be so horrible at customer service? Don't even get me started on Babies R Us!

Alright I better get started with my day. We've been in the playroom for 10 minutes and it already looks like a tornado has passed through. I only cleaned LAST NIGHT, putting everything in its exact spot but who needs a clean playroom right? Oy!

Sincerely Yours,

You're Welcome Olivia

Dear Diary,

First of all, I want to say that our Thanksgiving weekend was wonderful! We had an entire weekend of family and food and while our bodies may hate us for the extra weight we will carry following this weekend's food fest, our hearts are happy because of the time that was spent with everyone we love!

While we were home we decided to go through some old baby pictures of myself only to realize that Olivia and I are twins...separated by 26 years. She looks just like me when I was a baby, which I guess only she can decide if that is a good or a bad thing. Enjoy the comparisons below. I know we did!

Lindsey & Olivia: The "Side Glance"

Lindsey & Olivia: "Looking Up"

(Please ignore the dots on my forehead. We think a staple is to blame!)

Lindsey & Olivia: "A Bit Surprised"

Lindsey & Olivia: "The Happy Face"

Lindsey & Olivia: "So Serious"

While she may not look a lot like sister, at least we know she is related to somebody in this family!

Sincerely Yours,

Team Rob

Dear Diary,

It has been quite awhile since I have written. Busy doesn't even begin to describe my life lately, which is okay, but I have to say I am eager for things to slow down. After a full day of juggling orders and girlie's, I have decided to sit on the couch with the laptop. One child is about to fall asleep while the other is still doing her nightly exploring before she'll be ready for her last meal of the day.

The ol' hubby is working late. Normally I would complain but tonight I don't mind because the Dancing with the Stars Finale is on and I plan to watch the entire 2 hours. Yes, I am one of THOSE people. And I am not ashamed to say that I am 100% rooting for Rob Kardashian to win. No, I don't love the Kardashians and yes, I do really like J.R. and Ricki also, BUT since I started watching this show several seasons ago, I decided that those who begin the show knowing how to dance have an unfair advantage. If you score well the first episode, then I am not rooting for you. I have always liked the contestant that starts off shaky and turns into a pretty good dancer and that is exactly what Rob has done. That guy has proven himself and I have been a fan of his from the beginning. I'll go ahead and put my name under the Loser list after I admit that I EVEN voted for him the past two weeks. Go Rob!

Besides being on Team Rob Kardashian, I have 3 things I am admitting tonight.

#1. I Love My Christmas Decorations: I didn't go overboard but I am very happy with how things turned out. And I hardly spent a dime. In years past I have gone for the nontraditional Christmas colors - trying to match my home interior or picking deep colors instead of the bright festive Christmas palate. This year I went for traditional reds and greens. My mantel is awesome, my tree is perfect, and my little shelves round everything out. We are staying home for Christmas this year now that Addy is old enough to understand about Santa. We want to have our own Christmas traditions that the girls will always remember and we thought being at home was the best way to do that! It will be different this year but I am really looking forward to it!

#2. Dinner Sucked Tonight: We are going to Pitt for Thanksgiving so I decided I wasn't going to do much cooking this week to avoid a bunch of leftovers in our fridge all weekend. I ran to the store today and decided I would just buy a couple bags of those frozen Chinese dinners. I went for the cheaper brands and really shouldn't have. First of all "Meal for 2" SHOULD NOT be written on the bag. If Addy and I hardly had leftovers then clearly they have a misprint. It was gross and I will be referring Garrett to a fast food restaurant on his way home tonight. I guess that's why I make real dinners during the week. Frozen is quicker but not better.

#3 I'm Addicted to Online Shopping: I have started my Christmas shopping and I have yet to set foot in a store. And I have to say I'd be okay with all my gifts greeting me at my doorstep. You can't beat the "Free Shipping" deals and half the time the product is marked down as well. I can browse, compare brands, read reviews and shop for several people at once without leaving my couch. With 2 small kiddos it's the way to go!

Alright 5 minutes until showtime!

Sincerely Yours,

The Coolest and Most Perfect

Dear Diary,

I love days like today. For some reason cold, rainy and overcast is my weather of choice, although if I was forced to be out in the middle of it every day I would maybe change my mind.

It’s like the rain gives you an excuse to be lazy. Not that I have been lazy- two loads of laundry done and folded, an abundance of orders started, kids fed and diapers changed frequently, dinner started and a little playroom fun of course- but I will admit that my teeth didn’t get brushed until just a few minutes ago AND not a single one of us have changed out of our PJ’s.

Along with the rain came some deep thinking today. Okay, not deep, but thinking nonetheless. I was playing with the girls and I thought to myself several times, “I have the coolest and most perfect children ever.” It’s a 100% true statement.

Now, most of you are thinking, “Wrong! I  have the coolest and most perfect children ever,” and to that I have to say that you are 100% correct as well.

I realized today that Mom’s and Dad’s love their kids SO much because God gives us each the coolest and most perfect kids for us. It’s pretty amazing if you think about it.

When I think back to high school and what I thought my “children” would look like and act like, I pictured a house full of boys. I have no idea why. I just imagined having all boys and to be honest up until that first ultrasound with Addalyn, Garrett and I just knew we were having a boy. Now, two girls later, I can’t imagine if we didn’t have a pink and purple playroom, a closet full of dresses and at least 3-4 tea parties a week.

And of course, I would love a little boy but to be honest, IF we have more children, I would be just as happy with a 3^rd little lady because I would know that God gave Garrett and I the coolest and most perfect kid for us!

I love how much I love my kids and I love how much they love me back. I know for a fact they do because one tells me every day “I love you babe,” and I can make the other grin from ear to ear from clear across the room by just smiling at her.

I think every good parent out there thinks like this and I hope everyone thinks their kid(s) are the coolest and most perfect, but it does make me sad to think about the parent’s who don’t realize that and the poor children who work so hard just so their parents pay attention to them at all. If I could, I would wrap my arms around each and every one of those little boogers and squeeze them as tight as I squeeze my girls so they could feel how they are supposed to be loved. And if you are a regular blog reader of mine, you know I am not a hug person. =)

Hug your kids tight because God gave YOU the coolest and most perfect kids for you!

Sincerely Yours,

It's The Little Things...

Dear Diary,

Hola. It must be a blog kind of a day today. Rarely do you see two posts from me, but tonight I have two sleeping children and it’s too late in the evening to start anything else before bed so I will hit the keyboard instead.

I just got home from grocery shopping and I have determined that 9:30PM on a weeknight is the best time to go. I didn’t have kids with me, I got to push one of the small convenient carts, the shelves were stocked, and I was practically the only one there. I was in and out in no time, although I did consider hanging out in the magazine and book aisle for a bit just because I could. And now the shopping is behind me and my meals for the week are just waiting to be cooked. It’s the little things…

Sometimes my days go so fast that it’s hard for me to even remember what all went on. My little Olivia is definitely the second child. The poor thing hurts herself, or gets hurt a million times a day and half the time I couldn’t even tell you what happened. Not because I am off taking a nap or watching a soap opera, but because I am doing 50 million other things or paying attention to her sister. Olivia wears the “2^nd Born Child” ribbon well. I look back and feel like I had so much time in the day when it was just me and Addy and I wonder where that time has gone. So, this Sunday when Olivia woke up from her nap a little early I went up to her crib and got her and brought her down to the couch with me. She finished her nap curled up on my chest and I realized I used to let Addy take naps on me all the time when she was little and Olivia rarely does. I loved it. I am going to miss those little moments someday so I better soak them in while I can. It’s the little things…

We ordered Pizza the other night and we got a free container of chocolate chip cookie dough. I had every intention of baking the cookies but someone, I wont name names but it starts with a “G”, opened it and took a couple bites out of it. So naturally when I felt like I needed a little snack this afternoon I did the same. There really is no excuse for eating the cookie dough, especially when we have far too much Halloween candy leftover, but I have to say, it was delicious. It’s the little things…

And while I am talking about eating the wrong things, I have to brag on myself for a minute. I have been pregnant for a good portion of the last 3 years. I am not one of those small, “all belly,” pregnant women so needless to say I had some weight to lose. I weighed myself the day I brought Olivia home from the hospital, which is a horrible idea for all of you soon-to-be Mothers. Give yourself a few weeks before standing on that scale. Anyways, 7 months later I am proud to say that I have lost 52 pounds since that day I brought Olivia home and 39 of those pounds I can credit to Weight Watchers. I lost all the baby weight plus some. I’d like to lose a few more but I am not killing myself over it, in fact I haven’t been counting my points for weeks now, but nevertheless I feel great! It’s the little things…

And now it’s late and I am going to go take my shower and sit in my bed and read my book. It’s the little things indeed…

Sincerely Yours,

Trick-Or-Treat!

Dear Diary,

Halloween is the best. I love everything about it - from the movies and shows on tv to the ghost stories to the costumes and the fall weather, it's perfect! And my love for Halloween has rubbed off on Addy. We've been talking about it for weeks now and she couldn't have been more excited to go Trick-Or-Treating last night.

This is our 3rd Halloween in this house, but our first time actually Trick-Or-Treating. We knew we had a lot of Trick-Or-Treaters in our neighborhood but I guess we didn't realize how many until we were out last night.

Our night started with a Jack-O-Lantern pizza from Papa Murphys, delicious. As we were eating we had kids coming to the door right and left which made Addy as excited as ever so we hurried through dinner and got into costumes and headed out. The weather was perfect. Not too cold but chilly enough to bundle Olivia in a blanket in the stroller and to really feel like Halloween.

The plan was for me to push Olivia and take pictures while Dad took Addy up to the doors. After a house or two of being uneasy, I did my Mommy magic and we started having a great time. It was like Trick-Or-Treating in the movies. Kids were everywhere, parents were in costume, houses were decorated, people were waiting for Trick-Or-Treaters on their doorsteps and someone even turned their house into a haunted house, although a little too scary for us so we didn't participate. I don't know who was enjoying themselves more - me or Addy.

I Trick-Or-Treated a lot when I was little but it was never like this. Addy absolutely loved all the kids and I think she could have stayed out all night. She earned her candy by saying "Trick-Or-Treat" at every door and she always said "Thank You" after they'd throw the goodies in her bucket. I had a very proud candy owner once we got home. She was also quick to point out her bucket this morning when she woke up.

We ended the night by answering the door for the late Trick-Or-Treaters, which Addy loved just as much. "HIIII KIDS!!!" She would say. And if I needed more proof that she was my child, she asked to watch Hocus Pocus before bed last night.

It was honestly a better Halloween than I imagined. Olivia is still too young but the rest of us will have awesome memories of our first Trick-Or-Treating Halloween. Already looking forward to next year when we will have 2 little ladies ready to hit the block!

Sincerely Yours,

Buy Yourself A Stamp

Dear Diary,

I am in the middle of a book. I am in the middle of two books actually (I know, queen of multitasking). I am reading the new Ellen Degeneres book, "Seriously...I'm Kidding" (Thank you Megan), and I read a chapter last night that I loved.

Ellen talks about the lost art of writing letters. My family can tell you that I am the queen of letter writing and if I could get or give the same gift every year for all occasion, it would be a letter. I love writing them, and I love getting them - and let me tell you, I don't get them very often, even with my not-so-subtle hints to my husband.

We have faster, easier and more convenient ways of communicating like emails, FB messages, tweets (is that what you call them? I am not on twitter and I feel like a grandma when I say I know nothing about it #whatthehelldoes#mean), etc. But what happened to good ol' letter writing?

It is so nice to go out to the mailbox and see an envelope that is hand addressed to you. It's typically a card because it is your birthday, anniversary or a holiday but wouldn't it be nice if it was a handwritten letter from someone instead? Don't get me wrong, I love a nice card so please don't stop sending them, but I miss the days of letter writing.

When I was younger I had a pen pal. I met her and her sister when they came to visit their grandparents who lived across the street from us. For one reason or another we played together the week they were visiting and even had a camp out in their grandparent's backyard. When they left we exchanged addresses and we wrote back and forth to each other for a few years. I cant remember why we stopped but I know I will never forget how fun that was.

One Christmas I decided I would write letters to everyone that I was giving a gift to. I was buying for my family, Garrett's family and the flower shop girls so I had quite a few letters to write. I think I was more excited for them to open their letters than I was for them to see the actual gift I gave them. There is just something about telling someone exactly how you feel and doing so on paper.

It is especially nice when it comes from someone who you would NEVER expect to write you a letter. I have written my husband numerous letters over the years and have received few. When we were pregnant with Addy he asked if I wanted a "push present," apparently a new trend to all the Mommy's out there having babies, and I told him I wanted nothing more than a nice letter from him. And so he wrote me one, granted it was while we were in the hospital waiting on little Addalyn's arrival, but I never said when he had to write it, just to write it. One of the best presents I have ever received for sure!

So the point of this post? Next time you are going to send someone a card in the mail, or email them a nice ecard or leave them a FB message, consider writing them a letter instead. I guarantee they will appreciate it and who knows, maybe we'll start a letter writing trend!

Sincerely Yours,

Lets Go!...to the hospital

Dear Diary,

We got an American Girl magazine in the mail. There was no keeping Addy away from it - not because she loves dolls, but because she loves magazines. Seriously, she even looks at Garrett's ESPN. Not to mention Addy has never been a stuffed animal or doll person (she takes books to bed with her) so I wasn't too worried she would fall in love and want an American Girl doll of her own.

So she is flipping through the magazine and asking me to "read" it so I do and I am surprised at what I find. These dolls don't go without ANYTHING! They have clothes and beds and highchairs and car seats and changing tables and HEAD GEAR! You can even buy pets for your doll and if you want to get super fancy you can buy clothes for yourself that match your doll's clothes!

Then we get to page 16. Here we have the "sporty" American Girl section which has a cheerleader on display. In fact it is called the "Campus Cheer Gear" set which includes a cheer dress, matching briefs, socks, athletic shoes, hairband and pom poms. Pretty standard wouldn't you say? EXCEPT, Little Miss Cheer is ready for the big game with a cast on her arm, a boot on her leg and resting on crutches! What the hell happened that landed this girl with multiple broken bones? No explanation needed - just a wounded cheerleader hanging out with a ballerina who appears to be completely healthy and happy.

Why would anyone buy that? "Here you go Susie! Lets get the super expensive "Feel Better Kit" to go along with the super expensive "Campus Cheer Gear" to put on our super expensive American Girl Doll so that way she can't really be played with because she is injured!" Who could pass up a kit filled with crutches, an arm and leg cast, bandages, a finger splint and a faux ice pack? You know, just in case there is a basket toss gone wrong and she breaks her arm and her leg, gets a giant gash across her face, jams a finger and hits her head. What's the Cheerleader Motto? Always be prepared? Okay maybe that's the boy scouts. I wouldn't know, I was only a girl scout for a short period of time and a cheerleader for even shorter.

Anyway, we won't be buying an American Girl doll for Addy anytime soon. Well probably never because she just doesn't play with dolls. But I shouldn't speak too soon because someone else I know snuggles awfully close to her dolls at night. Maybe by the time Olivia is old enough for an American Girl they will have the "Save Her Life Kit" - ambulance, defibrillator and stretcher included.

Sincerely Yours,

We'll Take 2 Lollipops Please!

Dear Diary,

Well it was an exciting trip to the pediatrician yesterday where both girls had checkups which included a variety of shots, fingers pricks, and nasal sprays. I got to take them both by myself, which is another reason I should be nominated for Mother of the Year =) ...Okay who am I kidding. When I had one child, going anywhere was "the hardest thing I had to do," and now with two I laugh at what I used to say about one. I am sure each time you add on to the family you remember the days of fewer children and laugh at how "hard" you thought you had it. Kind of similar to my trip to the store today when I had nowhere to put my grocery's so I piled them on top of Olivia's car seat and when I got to checkout I had to threaten Addy with her life to stay by my side and move Olivia's car seat to Addy's seat so the sacker had somewhere to put my groceries. All you Mom's with 3 or more kiddos at tiny ages who can successfully take them all to the store deserve a pat on the back and a parade in your honor!

Okay what was I talking about? Oh yeah,

They both received a good checkup. My favorite question of the day, "Is Olivia beginning to roll over on her own and if you put her in a sitting position is she able to hold herself there for a few seconds?" My answer, "No she's not able to hold herself there for a few seconds because she has already crawled clear across the room and has pulled herself up to the coffee table." Needless to say, Olivia is developing just fine =) The Doctor actually told me she was sorry because she can see how I have my hands full with two mobile kids already and she hated to say it but she thinks Olivia will be an early walker too. Awesome....

It was hard to take in everything the doctor was telling me during each exam. While Olivia was getting checked, I was trying to clean up the 47 books Addy got out and spread across the floor and while Addy was being checked I was keeping Olivia occupied and bribing Addy with snacks if she sat still. So when I got home, I read through their papers and I even got out Addy's old exam sheets to compare the two.

At 6 Months Addy was in the 50th percentile for both height and weight. Olivia is running on the petite side, only 25th percentile in weight and a low 10th percentile in height. Don't let those chubby cheeks fool you, she is a small little booger but small and mighty might describe her better. Annnnd don't let me forget the head. Addy's head was an issue from the beginning. She was constantly at or above the top of the charts and we were even sent to a specialist just to make sure it was nothing more than hereditary. At 6 Months old Addalyn was in the 97th percentile on head growth. Olivia is in the 10th percentile. Garrett has a HUGE head, while I have a incredibly SMALL head. You're welcome girls!

Obviously they are our children so it goes without saying that they will take certain traits and characteristics from Garrett and I, but it still amazes me.

Addy is her Father's daughter, through and through. She has the darker skin, the darker hair, the gigantic head, the wide feet and she appears to be a lefty. She can memorize a movie or tv show after watching it just once and she is crazy good at remembering the details that shouldn't have made an impact on her little mind in the first place. But, like her Momma, she has a love for reading, she is obsessed with Halloween with the monsters and "get you's" that go along with it, and she loves her coloring books which leads me to believe she could be a bit artsy fartsy.

Olivia hasn't shown her full colors yet at only 6 months but I can already tell she's more like me. She has lighter skin and lighter hair, which I had when I was her age. She has short little legs and tiny hands and feet. She is the most layed back, quiet, and happy little baby who just spends her day following that older sister around - similar to the quiet little shadow my brother had following him around when we were little. And she is a Mommy's girl, 100%. Unlike Addy who would go off with a stranger if he had a package of fruit snacks and a book in hand.

And lucky for them, they have gained something from both Garrett and I. They are extremely active and strong, which I assume means they will both be athletes of some kind. Hopefully at least one will pick up a softball glove but if not, I have no doubt they will be good at whatever they decide to do!

Besides the obvious, I think my favorite part of parenting is that there is always something to look forward to. We have so many years of fun ahead of us. I don't want time to go too fast but at the same time I can't wait for it all either!

Sincerely Yours,

In My Dreams

Dear Diary,

Olivia and I were up before everyone else as usual. She began her daily exploring while I snuggled on the couch with my laptop, coffee and Pinterest. I wouldn't say I am addicted just yet, because I honestly only jump on the website every now and again, but boy when I get started it's hard to stop! I am not sure if I should thank Megan Simmons for the suggestion or to blame her for the distraction away from doing things I should really be doing. =)

This morning, during my Pinterest roaming, I have come up with several conclusions:

I Need A White Kitchen: When we moved into our house we were moving into a "Red Hat Lady" filled space with lovely potential and a great "first home" set up. In the 3 years we have lived here we have done SO much. More than I imagined we would in 3 years. There is no trace of Red Hat Lady left and I am sure if Sandra (the previous owner) strolled on back to the ol' neighborhood she wouldn't recognize the place. That being said - Sandra's kitchen has remained the same. It's the only room that hasn't been touched besides adding a pantry and installing a microwave above the stove. While I feel like I have adequate space and it tends to "do the trick," I hate my kitchen. I dream of white cabinets, beautiful counter tops, freshly painted walls, a new sink, a lovely tiled back splash and a new island.

I Love Nooks: I think most people do. I mean who doesn't want to curl up into a small little space full of pillows and blankets whose only purpose is to be lounged and read on? I love every kind of nook - window seats, hallway nooks, small loft spaces, hidden nooks, and bunk nooks. They just give me the feeling of being little and having my own special little space to do whatever I want to do. Would I really use a nook if I had one? I don't know. I mean, let's be honest, I hardly have the time to sit on the couch or lay in bed and flip through the pages of a good book as it is. But for now, I'd like to think that if I had a nook in my home, I'd be sitting in it right now, typing away, buried in pillows, blankets and happiness!

I Should Shop At Flea Markets: I am attracted to everything vintage. This really isn't a surprise, but I do find it odd that while I love all the distressed wood, vintage color palette, and light wall colors, my house does not reflect this in the slightest. I think most people dream of what their home would look like and once the time comes you find yourself doing things differently than you thought. I think the reason, well at least in my case, is that I don't have a million dollars to buy the perfect home interior. Of course if I spent my free time shopping around flea markets and waiting for special deals to present themselves I may be able to afford the "dream" home I want, but until that "free" time gets extended, I'll stick with what I got and be happy that my kids have furniture they can beat up, curtains they can tear down, and decorations they can break. Cheap = easy to replace!

Sooooooooo I have decided that once my kids are a little bigger, once I have more money, and once time isn't an issue, I will be cooking in an outstanding white kitchen in a house full of nooks that my friends and family will only describe as a "Vintage Beauty."

Sincerely Yours,

My Girl

Dear Diary,

I remember finding this picture when Addy was this age and thinking she looked like me. I ran across it again and I think someone else I know looks A LOT like me... lucky girl =)

Me Around Olivia's Age

Olivia

Lucky

Dear Diary,

This weekend is blog worthy. Not because we had big plans or accomplished anything great, but because we had no plans and we accomplished nothing great. It was the kind of weekend where I only got out of sweat pants once, and the only time I spent away from my family was to run to the grocery store. The playroom was our room of choice for most of the weekend and the Phillies occupied our television.

Garrett got to enjoy a few drinks with coworkers on Friday night - a rare occasion - and I debated on a movie to rent - an even rarer occasion. It was between Something Borrowed, what I have been wanting to see since I heard they were making the book a movie, and Bridesmaids. It was tough to pass up but I had to go for Bridesmaids - partially because I was afraid I wouldn’t like Something Borrowed as well as the book and partially because I was in the mood for a laugh.

Bridesmaids delivered. I laughed out loud several times and I was watching it alone. And, as if they knew Lindsey Forsythe would be watching, they saved the best for last - Wilson Phillips, “Hold On” took us to the credits. Good choice.

It was also Garrett’s Birthday Weekend so we spent Saturday night doing the Three C’s: Church, Chipolte and Cold Stone. We decided it was like a date, minus the nice restaurant and plus a couple of kids. Every one of us enjoyed ourselves and with full bellies and happy memories we headed home for the Three B’s: Baths, Bottles and Bedtime.

Sunday was the icing on the cake. Birthday Boy was fixed a lovely breakfast, spend the entire day in his Matrix Tshirt and Xbox pajama pants, got a Phillies win, a few video games in, AND got to spend PLENTY of time in the playroom. He swears he turned 27 today, but I could argue it 7 instead.

My house didn’t get cleaned, I didn’t get a jump start on the orders for the week and my pantry is still waiting to be filled, but it is okay because my husband spent his weekend relaxing, my girls spent their weekend playing, and I spent my weekend smiling.

Love. My. Life.

Sincerely Yours,

2 Incredible Years

Dear Diary,

I am spending my evening relaxing, which could come back to bite me considering everything I have to get done in the next few days. Which is why I am taking this time to post my special "Birthday Edition" blog post now before it's too late.

Addalyn Paige is turning 2 on Saturday, and I will say what every parent says, "Those 2 years went by so fast." Everyone tells you to cherish each moment, cuddle as long as you can, and soak in all those baby firsts because the time goes so quickly... and everyone could not be more right. I will quote myself: "I can't believe I already have a two year old. If I didn't have another little baby around I would probably be more upset about this."

I swear to you that it honestly feels like yesterday that Garrett and I were driving to the hospital. Okay, maybe not yesterday, but it definitely feels like it was merely last month. I remember everything in such detail and I am thankful for that. It was a roller coaster of emotions and Garrett and I still talk about how "fun" that time was, even though parts were not "fun" at all.

It's the thrill of going through everything for the first time. She had us worried even when she was a little peanut in my belly. And she continued her worrisome behavior at the hospital. But in the end we got a precious little girl that would change our life forever. And she gave me the best gift I have ever been given - Motherhood.

I cannot believe how much she has grown and learned in these past 2 years. There is not a day that goes by that I am not amazed by how much she knows, laughing hysterically at something she says, or am touched by how much she truly loves her little sister.

I cannot imagine my life without her and it excites me to think about the many years of firsts that are ahead of us.

My baby isn't a baby anymore. I swear it was just yesterday that I was snuggled on the couch with her asleep on my chest and then I blinked and I was planning her 2 year old birthday party.

From melting our hearts on September 10th, 2009, to laughing on the couch with Mommy for the first time, to crawling well before she needed to, to climbing on everything possible, to pestering Philly on a daily basis, to taking her first steps, to telling herself "Happy Bird-day" on her first birthday, to giving away a million hugs and kisses, to becoming a dancing fool, to saying full sentences, to falling in love with her younger sister, to learning something new every day, to turning 2 years old on September 10th, 2011.

Here's to the coolest 2 year old I know! Mommy and Daddy love you more than life itself. Thank you for giving us more happiness than we knew possible and for being the greatest first born daughter and big sister in the entire world.

We Love You Addalyn Paige Forsythe!

Newborn

3 Months

6 Months

9 Months

1 Year

18 Months

2 Years

Sincerely Yours,