Monday, June 30, 2014

Our Daily Routine...

This summer looks so much different than last summer. Last summer I was feeding Molly Caroline every 3 hours throughout the day and night. Sometimes she would give me one 4 hour stretch at night. Thankfully, the week before I went back to school, she started sleeping until about 5am...and then it just increased from there. My bathroom counter looked like this...hahah!

I'm very thankful that my crazy post-partum hormones were only an issue for 2 weeks. I felt 100% back to normal after that. In between feedings I would just snuggle her and try to get in some tummy time. Loved every second of that! She loved her swing and she was so snuggly!

It was too hot to do much of anything outside, even walks, and she was just sooo tiny so that made it hard too. I didn't even see a swimming pool last summer. Although we went to the beach twice in the fall. So we just celebrated summer a little later it felt like! :)

This is our typical summer schedule is going so far...
Molly Caroline wakes up between 7-8am. She immediately drinks her milk and eats breakfast in her high chair. Cheerios, scrambled eggs, oatmeal, fruit, and yogurt are what she typically eats most mornings. It just depends.

Some mornings we just play, play, play. Other mornings we go for a walk before it gets too hot.

Around 9:30-10:00 Molly Caroline naps. During this time I either "get ready" or clean up and watch Kathy Lee and Houda.

Then Lunch. Sometimes Molly Caroline and I will run errands after she wakes up from her nap and eat lunch out and about. Or meet friends for lunch. However usually we eat leftovers at home for lunch. She loves chicken, beans, cheese, avocado-our version of Mexican the best!

I try to plan an activity for MC most afternoons. Playing with her water table, paint, chalk, puzzles, story time, a sensory activity...something semi-educational. That's really hard with her attention span!!!

She goes down for her afternoon nap around 2pm. I usually am working on a project during this time, unloading the dishwasher, or folding clothes.

When she wakes up we have snack time! ;) Puffs, yogurt melts, fruit, cheese, or crackers. Just depends.

When Matt gets home we usually prep dinner as a family. He loves to grill so a lot of times we will play in our "pool" while he does that. Molly Caroline eats very slowly so sometimes as things are ready I add them to her tray...even before we sit down with her. I think that broccoli, green beans, sweet potatoes, and ground turkey or beef are her favorite supper foods.

After supper we push Molly Caroline in her swing, wagon, or coupe. Sometimes we go on a walk around our neighborhood or walk 9 holes of golf. We then have bath time! After her bath we like to sit on our adirondak chairs and watch the fireflies buzz around our yard!

Unless we have plans with friends, Molly Caroline's typical summer bedtimes is around 8pm. A little later than during the school year. We are very scheduled...but also very flexible. I think we have found a good balance. :)

I'm sure next summer we will do VBS, spend a good portion of our days at the Y-pool, start "real" swimming lessons, and probably be a little more consistent with library and book shelf story times.

One thing I've learned is that being home with her is my favorite thing ever and it is going to make working in August that much harder!








Sunday, June 29, 2014

SLOW DOWN SUMMER!

It is quiet in our house right now. Matt just left to play golf and Molly Caroline is napping. I was just thinking about how I've let half of the summer slide by without blogging, and I don't want to forget what we've had happening this summer! Molly Caroline does something new everyday is just so much fun! So here is a quick recap pictureless post.

This has been the BEST summer of my life I think! I am actually not bored! Who can be with a busy one year old running around? We started the summer off with Molly Caroline's birthday party and then had some down time. We just got back from a week at Reynold's Plantation and my parent's house. We celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary! It was the first time that we ate supper just Matt and I since Molly Caroline was 6 weeks old, so even though we missed our baby like crazy, we cherished it! I really enjoy our days at home too. I LOVE our little summer routine that we have fallen into.

And projects...oh my word I have so many going on at once. I am planning on "sprucing" up my classroom. I have some new fabric and border. I'm also making a door hanger. We are making a baby gate for our stairs and I am getting ready to paint our front door. I also have several organizational projects started. I've sold and swapped baby clothes. And I've deemed the week after the Fourth time to get a playroom together.

I'm doing a little Bible Study that I'm LOVING. And although the planner in me starts to think about football season, Halloween costumes, Christmas pj's, and Molly Caroline's 2nd birthday party...I'm forcing myself to slow down and just be completely present in this summer season. I really feel rested, and we have slowed down as a family to just enjoy these long, lazy summer days.

I'm in the blogging mood. So lots of catch up starts tonight! I will post one picture! My summer baby enjoying one of her favorite "toys"!





Tuesday, June 10, 2014

12 months old! Happy Birthday Molly Caroline!

My baby turned one on June 4, 2014! It has been the fastest year ever! 12 months is really a fun age! Haven't they all been!?!

Molly Caroline pulls up and stands.

She is a climber! She climbs in her chairs and over and under furniture!

She screams to get your attention.

She has become a great eater.  Of course I break everything up so tiny! 

She finally started drinking from a sippy. It's a nuk brand.

She says no no all the time! Bottle and thank you are two of her newest words! She has the most precious voice!

She loves to drink out of a tervis and also stick her hands down in drinks.

She loves to wash her hands!

She enjoys eating puffs from a snack catcher or the container itself.

She likes to FaceTime our family. It instantly makes her laugh.

Toilet paper rolls keep her busy for a long time. Her ball pit does too!

Her dancing has gotten even cuter. She moves her whole body now!

She walks behind her push toy!

She is definitely a water baby!

We've pulled out our swaddling blankets to loosely wrap her legs for naps. She loves it! 

Molly Caroline you are the most special baby. You are sweet, loving, sassy, beautiful, silly, a mama and a daddy's girl. You are our princess, our honey bunch, our sugar, our angel, our treasure, our gift, our pride and joy. We are so thankful that The Lord entrusted us to be your mommy and daddy. We still can't believe you're ours. We love you more than anything. Your birthday and every day since have been our happiest days. Happy Birthday Molly Caroline! We love you so!

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

11 months old!

We celebrated Molly Caroline turning 11 months old on May 4! I figured I better post this since she turns ONE tomorrow!


She starting sharing this month. She loves to share her pacis, bows, and toys with me. She thinks it's funny!

She loves for Matt to chase her. He says, "I'm coming to get you." And she squeals, "Eeeeee!"

She found her belly button. 

She claps! All the time! If you say "yay" she automatically claps! It's the most precious thing ever!

She actually crawls normally more often then her army crawl which I never thought would happen.

Molly Caroline loves playing with the kids at the babysitter, reading books, going for walks in her stroller and wagon, her pacifier, her bottles, and baths. 

She doesn't like the exersaucer at all anymore.

She is on the move...all over the place. 

She still loves all of her toys!

She loves music!

She is still a great sleeper and eater! We are so thankful for this!

Molly Caroline, I can't even think about how special you are and how meaningful your first birthday will be without getting tears in my eyes! I remember holding you when you were only weeks old thinking about how fun our summers would be together! I still want to freeze time almost daily! How did a year pass so quickly? I love you more than anything baby Molly Caroline. You are so loved!


Five on Friday!

So much to catch up on! And today was the last day of school!

Last year on this day I got permission to go visit my class on their last day of school! This year Molly Caroline came to celebrate summer birthdays with my summer babies. My class adores her!

This happened as a last week of school treat! 

We finally found a sippy cup that our princess will drink from. Thank you NUK, again.

Matt built my outdoor farmhouse table last weekend!

This precious baby gets sweeter everyday! Dreaming of our summer together is refreshing and exciting!