We'll be counting stars

2013

Our year was mostly spent preparing for Tucker and then adjusting to life with two kids. 

Babies are a bit all consuming it seems. 

Tucker just turned 4 months old on Christmas Day.

We love him and he's a mellow soul to help balance out our crazy family. He's still a TOTAL mama's boy, and although it's exhausting to be the one he always wants... no one has ever made me feel loved quite like he does. Tucker has eyes only for his mama and he lights up or calms down as soon as he sees me. 

I'm so grateful for this baby boy.

Tucker Stats:

14 lbs 

According to a study we're in at UNC, 

he's testing 2 months ahead in visual, language and fine motor skills!

He's a tad behind in gross motor skills--boy does not want to do tummy time and learn how to roll!

(of course when you can howl and people pick you up why do the hard stuff?)

His eyes are looking more and more brown

His hair is coming in "thick" (for a tippets ;)

He goes to bed at 9:30 and can often sleep til 4:30 or 5

But if not, he'll be up every 2 hours... ooy

Zoey is a crazy whirlwind of a 2 year old! 

We are fully in the throes of tantrums, screaming phase, picky eating, and asserting her independence. 

The doctor says it's because her language skills are so advanced...

whatever that's supposed to mean.

She is a clever girl and often keeps us laughing with her impeccable logic. 

She seems to regularly prove us wrong, or provide a sound argument for what she wants. 

It's a real challenge to feel like we're effectively parenting her,

but when she's interested in being "good" she's about as sweet as they come. 

My favorite is when she comes up out of the blue and says,

"Mama, I love you sooo much!"

Cary and I are exhausted and happy. 

Here's to a fabulous 2014! 

She keeps me laughing

The latest Zoeyisms

"Dad! kiss Carla bye!" ... haha it cracks me up when she calls me Carla

Grabbing Cary's face "Look at me, look at me! Time Out!"... it's a special moment when your kid throws your words back at you.

Right now we give her stickers for being good (we're trying to reduce tantrums) and she gets so excited. So excited in fact, she now will do things like hit her brother, so she can then kiss him and say sorry, thereby being "good" and getting a sticker.

"Mom, I got a water for you." "Thank you, zoey" "You're welcome, it's pretty good? huh!" 

(I wish you could hear that one in person, hilarious)

We were at a neighbors house and their son runs in "Zoey's pooping!" Since I hadn't packed diapers I said "ok, let's head home." Zoey runs in "No! No! I just tooted!"

Have a very merry Christmas

oooh ee... it's been a busy month! in the best way.

usually the week ticks along with hump day being the most dreadfully long (because cary doesn't get home til 9 pm) and then slowly, finally saturday is here and gone in the blink of an eye.

But this month, we've had so many fun christmas activities the days have flown and then it's like "oh, hey today's Friday! Sweet! Tomorrow we get Cary all day!!" (I also think I'm starting to get the hang of this two kid business... sort of)

Just some of the adventures we've taken Zoey and Tucker on...
horse drawn carriage rides (they're actually really fun when it's 70 degrees out :)

christmas parades,

to see at least 4 different Santas (she still doesn't like him... "I scared of Santa mama!")

a ward christmas party, a neighborhood christmas party, and party with friends

to see lights and the downtown durham christmas trees,



and the creche display (she's equally scared of baby jesus and usually blames him when she wakes up with a nightmare)

This time of year is truly magical and I'm so grateful I get a break from retail/restaurant work to bask in the season and teach my kids about our Savior.

I hope your weekend is full of holiday celebrations!

She doesn't own a dress, her hair is always messy

So Zoey had her 2 year check up and is 33 inch tall and 25 lbs. If you believe the saying double your kids height at age 2 and that will be their final height... 5'6'' is respectable. I'm very happy about this ;)

Zoey has also fully embraced the "terrible two's" and I'm struggling with all the tantrums and lashing out; however, at least the girl makes me laugh every day and that makes life better.

Now on to my favorite Zoeyisms of the past week:

-Zoey loves putting on her dad's deodorant. She sneaks into the bathroom when I'm detained with Tucker and smears it all over her armpits and belly. It's weird, at best, to have your 2 year old daughter reek of Old Spice.

-When I tell her she has to hold my hand to cross the street she looks at me matter of factly and says I hold this hand (then grabs her own hand) and walks right into the street.

-Peoples huh? (Her ice breaker throughout the day, said everywhere in relation to anything)

-She loves the disney channel cartoon Doc McStuffins, and so she bought a dr kit with her birthday money. She loves to give me check ups and this is how the latest went...

Z: "Mom, checky heart"
M: "Ok zoey, check my heart"
Z: "Cry Mom"
M: "You want me to cry?"
Z: "Yes"
M: I proceed to fake cry
Z: "Oh don't cry, it don't hurt. I checky knees.... (Big eyes) OH there's a spider in there! You ok. Checky eyes, Checky ears find out how much you grow! (starts singing the Doc McStuffins theme song)

(The take away: Zoey has excellent language skills for a 2 year old. We watch too much tv still. And she's aware of my spider fears and may some day use it against me)

-She's learned most of the song "I am a child of God," but when she gets to the end she sings "teach me all that I must do... to HALLOWEEN!!!!" and then we've lost her. 

-Several months ago she would just yell at us to pray. all. the. time. Now she's decided to interject during prayers what she wants. So we had her say the bedtime prayer last night:

"Thank you for dinner, for juice, for milk, for water, umm yeah, AMEN!"