Our Family

Brandon 3 Year Summary

Jul252013

Brandon 3 Year Summary 2

It’s official, we have a 3 year old. Is it shocking that him turning 3 makes me feel older than the fact that I’m turning 30 in a few months? Three is most decidedly not a baby. Brandon talks in full sentences, voices his own opinions (loudly), drinks from a big cup without spilling, has friends of his own choosing, picks out his clothes, and can actually remember (and retell) what he did on a given day. It’s not like he’s off to college next week or anything, but I do feel like we’ve made a pretty big jump.

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· Filed Under: Mommy, Our Family, Toddler Summaries · Tagged With: 3 year old, preschooler, schedule, toddler

Mommy Happy Hour

Jul122013

Happy Friday! Has this week flown by for anyone else? Summer is practically halfway over and I feel like it just got started! We had a great time in Georgia last week, but are happy to be back home. I know most people exit the city in the summer, but I actually love NYC this time of year. It almost feels like you have the whole city to yourself (not to mention, coveted reservations are way easier to come by!). So let’s jump right into things:

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· Filed Under: Looking Good, Mommy, Mommy Happy Hour, Our Family, Restaurant Reviews · Tagged With: books, food, hair care, music, new york, Restaurants, vacation

Rylan 16 Month Summary

Jul112013

Rylan has grown by leaps and bounds since his last update at 14 months. He is now walking all over the place, and wants to climb on everything. This is a kid on the move. He’s also a walking disaster. Seriously, he gets so excited that he tries to run and ends up smack on the floor (or into a wall!). Thankfully, he’s tough and has recovered quickly from some pretty nasty spills, but it would be nice to make it through a day without a new bruise or bump. Oh, the life of a little brother who wants to keep up with the big kids.

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· Filed Under: Baby Summaries, Mommy, Our Family · Tagged With: 16 month old, pretoddler, schedule

Rylan 14 Month Summary

May162013

Can I even call this little guy a baby anymore?! I guess at 14 months he is now technically a pre-toddler, but I think we will stick with baby for, oh, the next 17 years or so. We have been pretty busy for the past few months, so it really does seem like he just turned one. And he is just as cute and sweet as ever.

Rylan finally took his first steps a few weeks ago, and we were all excited thinking that he was ready to take off walking. But in typical “I’ll do as I please” child fashion, he is having none of it. Once he realizes that he is actually faster crawling than walking, he immediately drops to his knees. He even gets mad when we try to get him to walk. I guess you can’t blame him since he really just wants to chase his brother around and not have to concentrate so hard. His other gross motor skills have really improved recently though. He loves balls and can throw and catch really well. He’s also gotten more adept at playing with puzzle type toys (the “insert the square into the right hole” kind) and is super proud that he can now tee up the plastic golf ball, which he then attempts to hit with the club. Did I mention he comes from a family full of golfers who are quite possibly more excited about this than his first word?

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· Filed Under: Baby Summaries, Mommy, Our Family · Tagged With: 14 months, Baby, pre-toddler, schedule

Brandon 2.75 Year Summary

Apr92013

These last few months have been a mixed bag with Brandon. It’s been surreal to watch his personality develop and how he really has grown into a little person. He will make jokes, sing out loud, crack himself up, comfort you when he thinks you’re sad, and even play with his little brother and friends. Being able to interact with him and actually have fun with him has made my life as a mother more fulfilling and interesting. I now have a little sidekick. At the same time, they don’t call it the terrible twos for nothing. We have our share of tantrums and upset moments, and Brandon has become all too familiar with “time out.” Learning how to control his emotions is something we work on daily, as I suspect most toddlers do, and it’s encouraging to see him make progress, however slow that might be.

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· Filed Under: Mommy, Our Family, Toddler Summaries · Tagged With: 33 months, schedule, toddler

Rylan 12 Month Summary

Mar112013

Rylan is 1! I honestly can’t believe it. Although he is acting older, he still has his precious little baby face, leaving me in a slight bit of denial over the whole year-old thing. I pretty much refuse to take him for his first haircut. I mean, look at that hair! You only get those crazy baby hair pictures for so long, and I plan on dragging it out as much as my husband will feasibly let me. It doesn’t help that he’s pretty much grown out of all his baby clothes (although I am more than happy to say farewell to onesies – those snaps are the bane of my existence). Thankfully, he seems to fully grasp his role as “baby of the family,” and is constantly laying his head down on my shoulder and smiling sweetly, or doing a little fake crying just to get your attention. He knows just the way to melt your heart and seems in constant pursuit of eliciting an “awww” from all those in his presence.

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· Filed Under: Baby Summaries, Mommy, Our Family · Tagged With: 12 months, Baby, first year, one year old, schedule

Baby Things I’ll Miss the Most

Feb272013

With Rylan’s first birthday right around the corner (literally, next week!), I’ve been thinking a lot about how much I am going to miss him being my little baby. He will, of course, always be my baby, but as parents soon find out, babies grow up quick. Diaper changes are exchanged for potty training, trips to the mommy-and-me class with trips to school, bottles for cups, onesies for jeans, strollers for scooters, and the list goes on and on. My own mom is very pragmatic about this sort of thing. She took me and my siblings growing up as part of life and that her and my dad had done their job well if we were able to hit these milestones (seriously people, she didn’t even cry when I went to school or got married!). I’ve always considered myself in the same boat, until I actually had kids. Now the idea of taking Rylan for his first haircut practically sends me into hysterics. Guess I got a little of you in my too, Dad.

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· Filed Under: Mommy, Mommy Know How, Our Family · Tagged With: Baby, first year, love, mommy, new born

Rylan 11 Month Summary

Feb72013

I seriously cannot believe that my little baby is just one short month away from being a year old. That whole saying, “The days are long, but the years are short,” totally applies to how I’m feeling. With his cute little baby face, Brad and I are always remarking that Rylan seems younger at this age than Brandon did. Maybe that’s why it surprises me so much when he grasps a new concept. He’s beginning to understand processes lately, and likes knowing what to expect. As most mothers would recognize, he is in the pulling everything out stage – emptying a drawer or basket of clean diapers takes no time. Clapping is still his go-to move (everyone loves that he knows “If you’re happy and you know it”), but he has also gotten the hang of using signs for “more” and “all done” at meal time.

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