Ady // 18 Month Update

Dear Ady -

Just like that you're a year and a half old. I feel like we just had your 1st birthday and then bam. Tomorrow you'll be closer to 2 than 1. This has definitely been a growing 6 months for you. Both in size, but in personality and intelligence. Somehow you can give the sassiest of faces but turn into pure sweetness only 3 seconds later. I often say you play hard, fight hard and love hard. Your snuggles and hugs are to die for.

You pick up things SO fast it's unbelievable. Animal sounds, directions, the names of things, words. It's all too cute how well you mimic and imitate what we're doing. Sometimes I throw you in the shower with me and when I put my leg up onto the bench to shave them, you try to get yours up too. But the mimicking has it's downside. You want so badly to climb into big chairs like your brother and hop up on tall stools. Someday baby girl. Someday.

Right now your appetite is really good. You will try almost anything and you make the cutest face when something is cold or tart. You are still obsessed with milk but that's pretty much the only thing you drink. You are a carb kid, though, just like mommy. If there is bread or crackers around, you'll munch on those forever. Overall you are pretty good with fruits and veggies and you get upset if there is banana in sight and you aren't eating it.

You still have a full mouth of teeth except for your second molars which we're expecting soon based on how early your other teeth all were. You have seriously NEVER slobbered and that's been a welcome change in this household. You are a champion sleeper at night getting anywhere from 12-13 hours of sleep, but during the daytime is a different story. Most days you nap 30-60 minutes, but once and a while we'll get 2 hours out of you. :)

Your independence is outstanding. When we are getting you in the shower, we can tell you to take your socks off and you do. I have enjoyed taking you to gymastics class each week and watching you follow the bigger girls around. Your willingness to try everything there is awesome and I can't wait to watch you make friends in the future.

We couldn't have asked for a better addition to our family and I'm so excited for this next 6 months with you. I love you with all of my heart, deeper than you'll ever know.

Weight: 25.5 pounds
Height: 31-ish inches

- Mommy

And now for your 18 month image comparison as well as Drew's for fun....

And a few more cause you're just too damn cute...

Snowstorm Jonas

We finally got it. It was too good to be true that we were having such awesome weather this winter and we got it. 26 inches of snow in about 30 hours. Derek and Cal had to snow blow every 4 hours to make sure we could get out if needed and the pathways look crazy with 2 feet of snow on each side. The city has been shut down for 5 days now with schools closed as well. We've been enjoying sledding and snowball fights daily and, of course, hot chocolate. 

Some pics are phone pics below...

And our pumpkin pie 3 generation shot from 2012 (couldn't find the non watermarked version) vs last week...

Air & Space Museum

Drew has been dying to go there so we braved the cold (and our first snow over here) and visited this museum. It was great for the kiddos and we saw tons of planes and helicopters. The best part? Seeing the actual Discovery space ship! 

Ady doing her impression of an airplane...

3 Generations 1 Roof

I keep having friends ask how it's been living with the in-laws and in short, the answer is always 'great'! But really, its been just that. I think when people have difficult or less than helpful in-laws, it makes for a tough situation and they can't understand how we're all living under one roof. But truthfully, one of the best qualities I've always discussed with mine is how easy-going they are and their high level of flexibility and adaptability. They are completely go-with-the-flow and quickly jump in wherever needed! This doesn't 100% mean there aren't quirks that both sides wish they could change about the other, but it's only temporary and therefore the light at the end of the tunnel keeps us sane.

It's been so helpful having care for the kiddos M-F anytime I have a shoot, or am doing one of the other 19 jobs photographers do (marketing, communicating, editing, selling, ordering, etc) and then they even let me go on runs with our local running club. It's been SO great having their help with how busy it's been!

Mimi has taught Ady so much and continues to work on reading and writing with Drew....

And Grandpa has helped Drew with tons of legos...

Derek and I have even had plenty of weekend help as well and let me tell you... going to the grocery store kidless is bliss!

Drew // 5 Years Old

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DREW!!

CanNOT believe you are 5. Like, WHAT? And yes, I'm going to think that every year from now until forever. Sorry. It's just so surreal that I became a mom FIVE years ago.

To summarize this last year, it was blissful, loud and wordy. Blissful because you got over tantrums and the terrible 3's a couple months after turning 4. It's been amazeballs. Loud because you ask a lot of questions. A. LOT. Like, all day long. Every day. And wordy because you're learning to read and books are a staple at all hours of the day in our house. And you're doing awesome at it.

Other than that, you're still an awesome sleeper napping most days of the week for an hour or 2 (yes, we know we're super lucky), you love your sister so so much and you've become quite a little man. You still try most new foods but love the staples like corn dogs, grilled cheese and fruit mostly. But then again, doesn't every kid? You have a few 'duties' like laying out napkins and taking the recycling bin out and you can dribble a basketball better than a lot of 5 and 6 year olds! Legos are your thing right now and you work on the sets for 6-12 or 7-14 year olds currently. Besides a few questions here and there, you can pretty much complete them by yourself. (And fix them when sis rips them apart). You also like to draw things and we can prety much make out whatever you're drawing. You have picked up a bit of a 'tude from the new school this year but it's kinda funny how much you use your hands when getting sassy.

Thank you for being so helpful when we need it and thank you for being just a good kid overall. I'm so lucky to be your mom and although you never turned into a snuggle bug, sometimes you lay your head on my lap. In those moments, I don't move.

Love you little man.

Just a few pics from a little get together we had at the park on Sunday for you and your classmates. It was 59 degrees!

And for the stats:

Height: 44.75 inches (84%)
Weight: 43 lbs (71%)
Shoe size: 12.5
Clothes: Mostly 5T or boys XS

And the annual interview:

Favorite color: Rainbow 'because I like every one'
Favorite stuffed animal: Nala the lion
Best friend: Charlie
Girlfriend: Abigail
Favorite food: Pumpkin pie with whip cream
What do you want to be when you grow up: A daddy
What makes you happy: When mommy says funny stuff
Where is your favorite place to go: DC 'because I like living here'
Who is your favorite super hero: Spiderman
Favorite show/cartoon: Mickey Mouse Clubhouse
Favorite sport: Basketball
Favorite toy to play with: balls
Favorite movie: Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer
Favorite song: Jingle Bells

My Loves

Myrtle Beach Part 1

I simply don't have time to go into major detail of everything we did while on vacation, but overall it was a wonderful trip. We made it to the beach 2 different days, had awesome weather, enjoyed the local aquarium, played shuffle board, enjoyed the pools and hot tubs, floated on the lazy river, ate at some delicious restaurants, saw fireworks on New Years Eve, enjoyed miniature golf, played family card games and more. We lucked out with amazing weather in the mid to upper 70's, a good amount of sun and hardly any rain. Although the first night of sleeping with Ady in the hotel room was a disaster, we were blessed with awesome nappers and sleepers the next 6 days there. Here are some pictures from the first half of our trip!

This one got into everything when we were in the hotel room. Tornado Ady.