'Words will never hurt me..'

In my house growing up we were allowed to say things like, "stupid" or "shut up."

Last night we took our short 5 minute walk to a nearby park so the girls could play and my husband could run the track.

The girls were having fun playing and were amongst lots of older kids that were playing their version of 'tag' but it really looked like 'war.' They never really get phased when older kids play around them, as I'm sure the older ones always look out for them and don't knock them down.

As I was calling for them to come down off this high, pretend climbing rock, these three little boys that couldn't of been more than 6 years old, were chanting "shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up....." over and over again, at the entrance/exit of the rock thing. I don't think the girls knew who they were talking to and neither did I until all three boys blocked the entrance. They just continued with their chant as I was demanding that the girls come down.
In our household like mine growing up, the girls have been taught that we don't say "shut up" or "oh my gosh" ('gosh' leading to saying God's name in vain), and other tiny things.

And last night, watching Ava and Emma just stare at those boys chanting their silly chant, I watched my girls innocence slip away. While Ava kept saying, "we don't say, 'shut up!'" I know they are gunna start school and say things I wouldn't dream of my angels saying.

But I wonder, am I setting them up for embarassment or disappointment that their mama taught them silly rules that I was taught. What do you think?

It does sing true when you say, "sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me." BUT, I did make a point of telling the girls during the motion of this episode in front of these little guys that boys tease and say such things when they like girls. These boys were little 4 year old bullies. Bullies I wanted to smack.

I know this is a tiny, little episode and it is/gets much worse, but it made me realize to really enjoy, embrace and adore these years. They are so sweet and innocent and loving. As much as I want to keep them under my wings, protected from these things, it is good for them. Coddling them will do them no good.

First face

I am here to announce that Emma has drawn her first face. I'm amazed. And VERY proud!!

Thankfulness, Day 21

Today I am thankful for little reminders of how important and special you are in your child's life. When life with toddlers (and two of them!) gets hectic or crazy with their newly learned skills (hello kicking/tantrums and 3-year-old attitude!), you must try and be patient and not yell or get angry.

Yesterday we had a long day with my mom. We weren't traveling with my other half of my family to the funeral in Utah. But the other half was together. We needed it.

Anyways, we had a long day and Emma was extremely tired. Falling asleep on the couch at 6 p.m. (no way Miss Little Emma Lou!) and not staying awake as propped her up in the chair at the dinner table. I got her to eat after giving her two candy corns (bad mom, I know- but I wasn't going to be up all night!), and the sugar rush got her to stay awake until we took the car ride home.

She was so upset when we got home and I put her to bed. She wouldn't stop crying or fussing. I tried Tylenol and warm milk. Back rubs. Everything.

I finally went to the old days and the old tricks to get a baby/child to sleep. I rocked her in the glider chair and whispered lullabies in her ear. That did it. And I sat there for at least 15 minutes after because I knew these times would be less and less as they get older.

It was kind of magical. That's what I'm thankful for. I have the energy/patience (sometimes) to look at the little toddler/baby things and breathe it all in. Before you know it, it's gone.

Potty girl Emma! .. take two!

I have a goal this week, starting tomorrow. A goal I've had since Emma was born.

I am going to potty train Emma this weekend and will hopefully succeed.

My plan is to do what I did with Ava. Take off the pull-ups and let the girl roam free. She has her big sister to cheer her on and for moral support (and to share the win for those tasty, colorful M&Ms).

Wish us luck! This is the hardest week (besides the first week of infancy). The days of having to bring numerous outfits everywhere we go, changing peed on clothes in parking lots and lots of frustration.

Let's go EMMA!!!

'Where's the Love?' Wednesday - Happy Birthday, my girls!

Today is a big day! As it will be for the rest of my life. It is the day that I said hello to my first born, Ava, the one that made me a mommy -- and it's also the day I said hello to my second born, Emma, the one that made me a mommy again!

My "Where's the Love?" Wednesday is just that. The date. July 27. The love in that date has so much happiness, love, kisses, hugs, balloons and lots and lots and lots of cake! It also shares a lot of memories of the two, very different, yet very traumatic delivers that I gave over the course of just ONE YEAR. In case you missed it, read about Ava's delivery here and here; and  Emma's delivery here and here. Geez, I really like to keep the suspense, now don't I?

Today we will celebrate with birthday presents from us, cupcakes, balloons upon waking up and a fun filled day. Along with lots of things to cross off our do-to list for their birthday party on Saturday. We sing 'Happy Birthday' to each of them separately with separate cakes/cupcakes. And we will celebrate another healthy year has past and the two differences between our girls --- just one year, two hours and 18 minutes.

"Where's the Love?" Wednesday is an opportunity to share where your love is each week. It can be fun, lighthearted, deep and meaningful or a little of both. It can be one thing or many things. It may even be one simple photograph to capture where you're feeling the love.

Follow along at Akers of Love "Where's the Love?" here too.

The Story of Emma continued...

If you have been waiting and waiting.. here's the rest of the Story of Emma. (In honor of their birthdays, which is just a week away..)

I left you off where I was being rolled out of the recovery room and through the waiting room to my waiting family (minus Emma). I was so amazed of the amount of people were there and how concerned they all were. I didn't get it.

Let the plie's begin!

We got our class list. Bought the supplies. And today was the day!

The girls started ballet! I have waited my WHOLE life for this and it made all of my wishes for this day come true!

Here are my little ballerinas and their friends with teacher Miss Claire (who I think I adore just as much as they do!). They are dancing with Tiffany's Dance Academy here locally in the Bay Area.

The one photo I was able to get before my phone died!

Get your 'big girl' panties on

So the last package of diapers has been emptied into the basket on the changing table. And the fresh new box of pull-ups have been purchased. It's time to get Emma potty trained. I swear I could of trained her months ago, but I didn't think she was really 'ready-ready' and I wanted to hold onto my last baby for just a little while more.

But I am so proud!!! She will pee in the potty and poop in the potty! Not all of the time, but when given the chance she does it and does it well. She knows the drill. You get candy and a sticker after you pee or poop in the potty!

But mama knows better than to be dishing candy out here and there... before the 'real' training begins. I've had to stop offering it because Miss Ava will just go pee and then have to pee a minute after consuming her leftover Easter jelly beans.

So to encourage her and to encourage Ava to help with the training, the daily candy will resume and the stickers on the cool Sesame Street chart will start! (Can't wait..... NOT!) ;)

So best wishes are asked for a smooth potty training experience with Miss Emma ... which we will slowly move into once we are settled into our new house. We'll start with the pull-ups for now and get her used to the idea of being a 'big girl.' She's going to do great!!!

The story of Emma

Emma is a blessing and a gift from above.

She was the best gift a little girl turning one could ever ask for. Emma was born exactly one year, two hour and 18 minutes after her big sister, Ava. Her entrance into this world was quite dramatic, but that little girl, she wasn't phased.

After being born and baked in my oven for almost 38 weeks (one day shy), she was delivered in a non-emergency environment.

The story begins like this.....

Photo essay of Emma

Carpet picnic with a rare Happy Meal

Potty girl Emma!

What's up with child #2 doing and wanting to do everything early? And especially if it's your last??!!

That's Miss Emma I'm talking about. I swear she was just born last year. She's going to be 2 soon! So obviously- we're thinking about potty training. Ava is fully potty trained and has the occasional accident at night since she sleeps in her big girl underwear.

Emma has been requesting to wear big girl underwear lately with her soft-spoken words. Last night she pulls off her underwear (not the traditional way, she pulls down from the front and looks down and is surprised why it's not off yet) and pulls off her diaper. She then proceeds to say "pee pee" and sits down on the potty. This girl wanted to sit on the potty with no diaper on for a half an hour. Girlfriend!!!! I don't have 30 minutes! It's bed time! ;) I have a million things to do! (Like watch TV right up until daddy gets home and I gotta make his dinner. haha)

I'm ready with the skills I need to get the girl trained. But I'm not ready emotionally for my baby to be potty trained.

Random photos

Since I love reading blogs, especially ones with photos, I decided that since the last few posts had zero pictures-- I would make a random photos post!

These are from my work computer.... so they have no rhyme or reason, but must be some of my faves!

My babies dressed up as a loaf of Wonderbread (Emma) and a leopard (Ava) in 2009

Music babies.

My dad's side of the family is very musical. He plays the drums and played the trumpet in high school. Each one of my brother and sister and I played an instrument in middle school. My girls have that. They have the musical ear and they have the beat down for groovin'.

'hibernation'

And mine are no exception! :)

As picking the kids up from day care tonight, I was instructed to talk about 'hibernation' with the girls since they were discussing it today. Yeah, hibernation. OUR one-and-a-half and two-and-a-half year olds are being taught the meaning of hibernation.

So I was talking about it in the car during the drive home.

Me: "So you were talking about hibernation today at school? Do bears and squirrels go into hibernation?"
Ava: "NO!"
Me: "Do mommies go into hibernation?"
Emma: "YEAH!" with sure confidence in her answer.

I love my kids. Without knowing it-- they made my whole week!

Nesting mama birds

A reminder for both my girls!

When I was pregnant with both of them... we had two birds that nested on our patios. People told me that birds do that when someone is pregnant.

With Ava-- I really didn't believe it and just was trying to protect the bird and the egg from our cat!

With Emma, the same thing happened (note we were at a new apartment) it was even more special because I knew it was Martin's mom, Hilda. She passed away right after we found out I was pregnant with her so I knew it was her little spirit or soul showing me her presence.

A very special tidbit to share.

Two under two-and-a-half

Hi, my name is Amory and my husband's name is Martin, and we have a two-and-a-half-year-old; and a one-and-a-half-year-old. WOW! How did that happen?!

Here's an update on our amazing girls' stats!!!

Ava

You are amazing! You are finally potty trained to the max. Sleep in big girl underwear and have zero accidents during the day (we are working on the nighttime). You are in a big girl bed since you just figured out how to climb out of yours just a few weeks ago! The transition was a lot easier than I had expected! And I want to thank Emma for that, because when you were trying to abuse your freedom-- you'd just innocently open the door softy and shut it softy. :)

You talk so much! Show and vocalize great concern for others and others' feelings. My favorites are you say "thank you," "you're welcome," "sorry," etc. without any prompting. And you say "bless you" when someone sneezes-- one of my favorites. Another one of my favorites is when I ask Emma something and you follow with "you okay, Emma?! You okay???" You are shy around others, but aren't shy to give hugs when prompted to. You LOVE your grandparents and great-grandparents. You and your Nana have a great bond too. Well, both your Papas (Papa Ouchie-wah-wah and Papa Abuelo), you have great bonds with too.

We are working on clean-up time and not physically fighting with your sister.

Emma

You are amazing too!!! You have grown so much in the past six months. In the past month!!!! You say words, but it's still in baby worded talk. You have mastered "MINE" and "NO!" though. You follow and do everything Ava does. You try and put your shoes on when we are leaving. It's just amazing what you do!!!

You LOVE animals. You stop dead in your tracks when you see another dog when we're getting into the car. You love your Lucy and kitty. You love your Papas and have grown closer to your Nana. You don't like it when I leave you places.... like you are going through separate anxiety again at a later age. You run and you are fast!!! You really understood Christmas-- for what a one-and-a-half-year-old can understand. You point out Santa and say it over and over again. And you pulled tiny little pieces of wrapping paper and handed them off on every, single present. It was fun to watch. :)

We are working on not pulling hair and saying "please" and thank you." :)

Photo credit: Elevenorchids (They do AMAZING work. Check them out at Elevenorchids.com)

Mine

Mine mine mine mine mine mine mine minemine minemineminemineminemine!!!!!!!!

Sorry had to get that out because that's all I hear nowadays. From both of them.

Emma just says it to say it. Everything is hers. Wait, everything is Ava's. Now-- actually it's mommies and daddies. :) Especially our phones and the remote control.

A WOO HOO!

Well! We've made it! We've made it to no longer preparing and washing bottles for Emma AND no more pull-ups for Ava!!!!!!!!!!

A WOO HOO!

One of the happiest days of my life was today at lunch when I realized that these two things no longer exist in my world!

Ava has been doing great peeing on the potty (poop in another thing for some reason, she stopped doing it on the potty when we put the 'big girl' underwear on her). Three things I learned: 1) Thick underwear only makes them think they are wearing diapers, you have to put the big girl underwear on only (daddy figured this one out!); 2) you have to have a variety of candy for them to choose one, including ALL of their faves; 3) peer pressure is very important when potty training. If one does it, they all do it. This was proven to me when we were visiting one of my friends' house with a little girl the same age who was introduced to the potty, but not yet in the pull-ups. Well she peed three times on that potty while we were there! Same with my niece-- everytime she went on the potty, Ava HAD to too!

I'm hoping Emma will be quick to learn! As you know, she joins the party everytime we hit the bathroom and gets very mad if we leave her with daddy in her high chair at a restaurant. :)

Emma was a piece of cake to take off the bottle, which we did about 2 months ago. The nighttime bottle I kept, because, well because, I thought she was soothed by it and loved it. That ended this past weekend and there was no fuss. What a good girl! :)

What is weird, is that I miss hitting the baby section of Target. I miss shopping for baby foods and I miss shopping and thumbing through my coupons for the best deal on wipes and diapers!!! I am so bizarre, I know it! :) And no, no pictures of my girl on the potty to show on the page. They are still on the digital camera waiting to be downloaded. :)

Stats!

Every other blog I read does an age/month milestone and I'm going to copy them. Since this blog, which I hope people enjoy and read, is for my memory. Since after birthing two children, I have lost! :)

Ava, when people ask me how old you are, I immediately say two! because you are, in fact, two years old (27 months). Adjusted age you are just over two years old (25 months) since for those of you don't know, she was born at 32 weeks and the docs go by her "adjusted age."

Ava, you are amazing! AMAZING! You sing songs in the car when we are driving. Your faves are the Beatles and Lady Gaga. You love to sing the 'alright!' song (Here Comes the Sun) and Miss Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance." You can do a full summer salt (summersalt?? sp?). You like to jump and have "dance parties" where you strip all of your clothes off and run in circles around the room. You say a huge amount of words. You ask a lot of questions. You share great concern for Emma when she is crying or when she gets hurt. But you don't hesitate to shove her out of your way if you want what she has. You love to talk to her when you first wake up in the morning. Your favorite foods are 'eggies' and toast in the morning and you love a big glass of milk. You love pizza and have associated 'daddy pizza.' You are the little mommy of the house and repeat everything I say when disciplining your sister! We love you so much and we are so proud of you that you have overcome obstacles since the first minute you were born. You are our sunshine!

Emma! Emma you are now 15 months and you are mobile! You have started to get the hang of running/walking fast. You now don't like to be held unless you are tired. You take priviledge in walking from our house to the car without assistance. You are the sweetest little sister Ava could of ever asked for. You are, in fact, her little shadow. When it's time to go 'pee pee on tha pottay' you are the first one in the bathroom sitting on the little stool. You sign 'more' when you want more of something and you can say 'kittttttiiieeee,' 'ump ump' (pumpkin), mama, dada, 'sssssss' (Lucy) and more. I think 'ump kin' is our favorite. You have started sleeping through the night! WOO HOO!! You sleep with your butt up in the air and not with many blankets. You have taken to your ducky lovey that Auntie Kirsten bought for you (the cow that Ava carries around is from Auntie Kirsten too!) You aren't much of a sweets girl, but you love french fries, pizza, peaches, peas and a good, warm glass of milk! We love you Emma. You are a blessing that at first, was in disguise, but we cannot imagine our lives without you.