Phone Favorites...

Here are some of my phone favorites from the week...

This one is classic!!  Finger in her nose as she is falling asleep!  We have been struggling with the picking of the nose lately.  I have even caught her eating them!!!! EWWWW!!!  I try not to react too harshly (by harshly, I mean GROSSED OUT)...but seriously picking is one thing, eating....YUCK!  Guess we will have to keep working on it....

The girl loves bubbles and EVERY opportunity she has to make them!

Another oldie...taken last year about this time with my friend Lizzy.  She wasn't too happy to be wearing these adorable pigtails!

A new routine...

We are slowly adjusting to our new routine.  I actually thought that Addison might adjust a little easier than she has, but we are slowly coming around.  The first week was awful for both of us.  Addie would cry for almost 20 minutes when we got home, and I was feeling so guilty for leaving her all day.  I am SO happy that things have eased up...for both of us!

Addie and Dan have a great morning routine going for them.  Both really enjoy the time together.  I pick up Addison and we have a night routine that is working well for us as well.  She is VERY tired by the time we get home, so it is a pretty laid back routine.  That is just fine with me after working all day!

Work is going well.  I love being back with hospice and I work with a wonderful team!  It feels good to have that adult time again!!

One thing I have found working full-time is that I can not keep up with everything.  The first week it drove me nuts, but now I am learning to accept.  My house may not always be clean, my laundry not done, the lawn not mowed, but I am making sure I spend as much time with my family as I can.  The other things can wait.  For those who know me, this is a BIG step.  I like all of this to be done, but I have realized that I just can't do it all.

I have tried REALLY hard not to give up taking pictures.  It has always been one of my favorite things to do, and I don't want to miss out on these moments...

Addie helping Daddy with sweet corn.  Don't you just love Dan's suspenders (insert sarcasm)...I honestly think the more I make fun of him, the more it motivates him to wear them!  Such a farm boy...

My precious little girl before bed.  This was before I chopped nearly 7 inches from my hair.  I needed a cut that didn't take me a half-hour just to blow dry!  The humidity we have had didn't help the situation either!

It never fails, I get her bed made, and she jumps in it!  She loves jumping on her bed!!

Yes, she is as loud as she looks!!

This is what happened today when she got my pen.  I was doing a little paperwork, when I looked over and she was coloring her face -- and arms!  Doesn't she look pretty?!!

Well, I better get off to bed.  I have come to dislike Monday mornings.  I just pray that things continue to fall into place for our family...and this guilt of working full-time lessens...

Blank Park Zoo!

Last Saturday we made a trip to the Blank Park Zoo.  Addison had a blast while we were there!  She loves animals, and she really surprised us at what animals she knew!!  She of course knew the monkeys, birds, turtles, fish, etc.  When we walked up to the ostrich, we figured she would call them a bird, but she knew what they were (who knew?!!), she was also able to show us the giraffe, and knew the difference between a lion and tiger!  Her ability to learn astonishes us every day.

Here are some pictures from our trip...

Addie being a goofball on our way there...

pointing at the monkey...

Apparently we hit the zoo at nap time.  If you ask Addie today what the lions and tigers were doing at the zoo, she will tell you that they were sleeping on the rocks!

I seriously thought she was going to try to jump in with the fishies...

Our attempt at a family picture.  Thinking we probably should have attempted this at the beginning of the visit, not when we were exhausted from a long day at the zoo, and overdue for a nap!

Daddy and Addie...

Addie loved playing around in the egg.

At the end of the day we decided to take Addie to the gift shop to pick something out from our trip.  She of course picked out a t-shirt.  She has a love for clothes and shoes, just like her mommy!  BUT, the only problem was she picked out a shirt that said, "I'm a big sister!"  I know that someday she will be, but that is not the case right now, so we had to battle with her a little to get a different one!  We don't need everyone thinking things...  She ended up with a shirt that has a panda on it.  I will have to make sure I get a picture soon!

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We also spent some time at the hotel, which we made sure had a pool.  Addie had a blast swimming with Daddy!!

I love taking these little trips with my family!  Life is GOOD!!

I must have had August on my mind, since it was going to be a new start for our family.  I talked to my mom today and she told me that I had August 30 as my date and not July!  Oops...too much going on!  So here is my corrected picture!!

Watchin' our corn pop up in rows...

First day of work went really well.  On Sunday night Addie did not want to go to bed.  She finally figured out that she can get out of her bed (DARN) and she gets up and knocks on her door because she can't open that yet!  This morning she was up at 6:30am, so I sat her down to watch Barney while I was getting ready.  The rough part began when it was time for momma to leave.  Addie started crying when I left, yelling, "too, me" over and over (which means "me, too" -- she gets that phrase a little mixed up).  I felt terrible leaving her like that, but Dan was able to calm her down quickly and he said she had a really good morning.  She was VERY whiny when I got home, but she finally calmed down after her bath.  It's going to take some time, but I think we will all adjust to this.  Hope everyone has a wonderful night!  I am off to bed early!!

22 months!!

The countdown and birthday planning begins!! Our girl is TWO months away from being TWO years old!  Oh, boy...a two year old.  Sounds a little intimidating!

"Mine!"  That is Addison's favorite word these days.  Apparently I missed the memo that everything in the WORLD belongs to Addison Marie!  We were at the park the other day and she kept saying, "my slide, mom." "My swing, mom!"  Today we went out to eat and every time she saw a waitress walk by with food she would say (loudly) "Addie's food?"  She must have been hungry!

She is talking so well now.  I honestly have a hard time keeping track of all the new words and phrases she comes up with.  You have to be careful around her because she listens to EVERYTHING!  She picks up on things so quickly, it is amazing!  She has the three word sentences down, and is now working on longer ones.

She has wonderful manners!  Saying please and thanks is a norm for her.  You don't usually have to remind her.  She also walked past me in the living room the other day and said "excuse me, mom."  I think my jaw dropped that day!  If I ask her to do something, she replies with "okay, mom." (although sometimes she says that and still does not do what I ask..lol!)

We are learning LOTS these days!  We still work on shapes, colors, and counting.  She has been able to count to ten for awhile, but has not made it past ten.  We are working on more sign language now, which she LOVES.  We are working on the signs to her favorite animals.

Addie has a vibrant personality, but when she gets around people she does not know, it takes her some time to warm up.  When we were at the restaurant today, Addie would hide in my arms from the waitress the first few times she came to our table, but she later began to show off!  She loves showing off, and if she gets a laugh out of you, she will keep doing whatever silly activity she got you to laugh about.

She is now in a BIG girl bed!  I was a little worried about how this would go, since she would be able to get in and out on her own, but it has gone wonderful!!!  From the first night we put her in there last weekend, she has slept through the entire night!  She does not get out of bed, but shouts for me in the mornings.  I think she was a little cramped in her crib.  She loves her new sheets and blankets.  She walks in her room saying, "my bed, my blankey."

Here are some pictures to share from our week...

Look at that hair!! I just LOVE her little blonde curls...

Momma and Addie...

My beautiful family.  I am ONE LUCKY GIRL!!

I love this picture of Dan and Addie.  She has such a little grin on her face.  She definitely LOVES her daddy!

swinging at the park...

She loves her kitties.  Dan and I agree that she would stay outside all day with her kitties if we let her.

look at that grin...

Big girl at 22 months...

We went to Wal-Mart today and I found one of those bracelets that snap on your wrist.  We had those when I was little.  Addie loves bracelets, so I let her have it since she was so good in Wal-Mart.  She loves that darn bracelet!  Flicks it all the time.  Oh, my new car is behind her!!  

My thoughts....
Oh, BOY!  I start back to work full-time on Monday.  I have not worked full-time since Addison was born, and I am really struggling with leaving Addie all week long.  I know it is going to be harder on me than her, but it really doesn't make me feel any better :(  I just hope that after a few months we will adjust to our new routine and everything will fall into place.  I know that Addie will be in good hands!  On the other hand, I am SO excited to do hospice social work again!  It is my passion, and I feel grateful that I have this opportunity.  I also feel great that I am able to provide for my family.  The insurance is going to help us out so much.  I need to keep my focus on all the good that is coming out of this!

So, we are doing a practice run tomorrow for our new routine!  I have to leave the house a little after 7am.  Dan is going to be in the house at 7am and get Addie ready, feed her breakfast, and take her to daycare.  I am told that ALL I need to do is lay out Addie's clothes and do her hair.  Dan says that he does not know how to do girls' hair!  So I will get Addie up at 7am and do her hair and give her as many hugs and kisses as I can fit in 10 minutes!  Dan will take her to daycare on Mon, Wed, and Fri.  My Grandma is watching her on Tue. and Thur (at our house).  On Wed. and Fri, Dan's mom is picking her up from daycare after lunch.  I am SOOO grateful for the support of our family.  Without them, I don't think I would feel as comfortable as I do now.  We are so blessed!

Here's to a new routine, and a new start!