What's up Wednesday?!

I have a clean house, laundry is in process, TV shows are caught up and babies are napping.. WHAT in the world am I supposed to do?! Bask in my awesomeness, that's what! ;-)

I decided to post a little bloggity blog. I'm bored, the house is peaceful, and I follow the coolest bloggers that do a "What's Up Wednesday?" so.. I borrowed the idea!

Cute, right?!

What we're eating this week: So, I saw on one of those facebook quick food videos, a "pizza grilled cheese". Listen, I salivated watching it, and just happened to have the ingredients. I made it for dinner and lunch. My husband loved it. It's a winner!
2 pieces of wheat bread, butter on one side and on the flat top. Add a slice of cheese (mine was colby), pizza sauce, mushrooms and turkey pepperoni. It literally takes.. 4 minutes?! And it's amaaazing!

What I'm reminiscing about: My big baby just turned 2 and my little baby is about to turn 1. I can't help but reminisce about how fast it goes. I mean, this time last year, Bryn had JUST started walking, and Vivian was still in my tummy. That blows my mind. They say it goes fast, and ya'll... it does. It really does. Like, this was only a year ago. But Vivi now wears that outfit. What? Weird.

What I'm loving: I am LOVING Bath and Body works candles right now. The Marshmallow Fireside is my surprising favorite. It makes my house smell so cozy. I bought 6 candles on Black Friday and have been obsessing over them.

What We've Been Up to: Last week, a clogged drain pipe lead to a pipe bursting in my basement. Oily, black water ALL over. Not fun. So, I've been home bound most days while the process gets rolling with insurance claims. My learning curve has been CRAZY high lately. A lot of people in and out checking it out, a lot of phone calls.. very stressful. My husband and I have actually handled it all VERY well. There was a time period, where if something stressful was happening, he and I kinda took it out on each other. But, we've really learned to ban together in crazy times. I love that guy.

What I'm Dreading: Ummm, I can't think of anything in particular. I work 4 nights in a row this week, that doesn't sound fun. But, it's not that I don't like work.. I actually do. I just don't like being away from home that many evenings. But, I also don't want to be at home 7 days/nights a week, then I don't enjoy it as much. Haha.. my mind ya'll.. it'll exhaust you! ;-)

What I'm Working On: Currently? Laundry. I have a LOT. My laundry room is in my basement. And I'm usually behind anyway. But, add on all the extra chaos down there.. yikes.

What I'm Excited About: I have a lot of excitement coming up. Jake's work Christmas party is coming up, and I'm not two weeks away from giving birth this year.. so I'm looking forward to not having to wear a circus tent to the party. I'm also really looking forward to my girl's Christmas party. I love a good 'ol girls night. My sisters are coming in town for the holidays, which always puts a little pep in my step. AND of course, Christmas! Vivi's very first Christmas!!! Eeeeek!!!

Oh, and we just purchased Justin Bieber tickets. Yup, I've got the fever. And I'm SOOOOOO excited. I mean, it's not til June. But come on.. I can be 26 and a Belieber, right?!

What I'm Watching/Reading: It has been a WHILE since I've read. That's on my New Year's Resolution list. (Book Club anyone?!). But, Jake and I have been watching The Vampire Diaries. We used to record them but hadn't watched them since.. February?! So we started watching it. Love it. We are huge dorks.

What I'm Listening To: Michael Buble's Christmas album. I'm not saying I don't like you if you don't like Michael Buble.. but I will say I definitely will question your judgement if you don't. It's so good. SO GOOD for the soul.

What I'm Wearing: A lot of sweats. A lot. When I do get dressed, I've been loving my plaid and leather jacket with skinny jeans. LOVE.

What's I'm Doing this Weekend: Working.. ALL. WEEKEND. Thursday- Sunday night!

What I'm looking Forward to Next Month: I have REALLY fallen off the wagon with my health. The holidays make my work schedule less consistent, so I make the excuse that I can't consistently work out.. so WHY work out.. at all? Makes sense, right? And if I can't work out.. why eat healthy? Again, total logic. I've fallen off. And I'm totally going to be a New Year's Resolution girl and get back on it next month. P90X, here I come!

And, my baby's 1st birthday! Eeeek!!!

What Else is New: Things are just GOOD right now. Last night I actually asked my husband "WHY are things SO GOOD right now?! What are we doing differently??" He had no answer. I don't know why, but things are just GOOD. Maybe cuz Bryn decided to start listening to me and doesn't throw fits. I'm not sure. But life is great!


That's it! Littlest Babe is UP, after THREE HOURS.. and Bryn is still sleeping. Crazy! This never happens!!!

Bryn Marie Turns TWO

I can't believe my biggest baby just turned TWO (November 27). I tried to get a post in prior to her birthday, but with the holidays, birthday party and my crazy work schedule.. A few days late will do.

It seems like just YESTERDAY, I was an overwhelmed new mom just coming home from the hospital with the teeniest tiniest baby that apparently I was responsible for. I was terrified and so anxious over whether or not I would be a good mom. I am very proud of how far I've come since that day. I really do feel like a good, competent mom.. most days. Even more so, I'm proud of the little girl I'm raising.

Bryn is the COOLEST KID EVER. Just ask her mom. I say it all the time, but she really is equal parts sweet and sassy. The girl knows what she wants, but also won't hesitate to apologize (and mean it). She runs at us full speed just to give us the best hugs, ever. She hugs and kisses everyone when she goes to sleep, or is leaving a party.. even if they are strangers. Speaking of strangers, I'm not sure Bryn has ever seen one. She is very outgoing. She is tough, too. She can topple over, onto concrete, and she will get up and keep moving while telling you "I'm OTAYYY!". She is very into pretend, lately. We do a lot of pretend tea parties here. And LOTS of hide and seek. I can sit on the couch.. put a pillow over my head (very obviously RIGHT THERE) and she will pretend she doesn't see me. "Hmmm.. where's mommy? In this SHOE? Nooooo. Under the blanket??? Nooooo. Oh! (Moves pillow) I FOUND YOUUU!". Seriously, so sweet. And we do it all day.
Bryn also really loves puzzles, coloring and blocks. And makeup. Oh, Lord! I can't leave my room door open without her sitting at my vanity getting into my makeup. Bryn also is into shoes. My shoes and her shoes.. and don't you dare try to tell her to take them off because.. world war 3.
She can count to 15 on her own. And can pretty much say anything. AND THE. GIRL. CAN. SING. I make fun of those people that say "I've been singing since I was two". But.. my kid really does. Any song. It's amazing. We almost always have music on because it seems to keep her in a good mood.

We aren't potty training yet, even though I'm pretty sure she's ready. She asks all the time to go potty. But, with it being the holidays, and we are always on the go.. we are waiting until January to commit to potty training. Lazy parenting? Most definitely. WE just aren't ready for that kind of commitment yet. She is still in her crib. I guess they say to keep them in until they try to climb out? Well, we haven't run into that issue yet. So, we will keep her contained until we can't any longer.

There really aren't a whole lot of things that stand out as "bad" behaviors for Bryn. All the normal toddler stuff. Yesterday she liked toast, today.. she doesn't. She throws fits. She wants candy.. or cookies, all the time. She doesn't sit well at the dinner table. Nothing too crazy. She is pretty good, and predictable.

Basically, my kid is awesome. I don't look at "milestones" for my girls because.. who freaking cares. I don't care what they are supposed to be doing at this age and I'm not comparing them to anyone. All I know it, I hit the jackpot when it came to kids. And I LOVE that Bryn is my oldest. I just LOVE THAT BABY.

 Seriously, have you ever seen a cuter little red head? Ugh, I love that baby SOOOO MUCH!!!!

A Day in the Life of a Mom of Two under Two

These days are the best days. People always say that to me. "You'll look back on these days and they will be the best days of your life". I have a hard time NOT believing that because.. I am LOVING it. And, I'm tired.

Bryn will be 2 in two weeks. Stop it. How did that even happen?? And Vivian is 10 months. The holidays are coming, which means I'll be non stop doing ALL the fun things holidays have to offer (and picking up extra shifts at work to fund all my holiday fun things). Our anniversary, Bryn's birthday, Christmas and then Vivi's birthday.. all within about 5 weeks. Sounds expensive and busy, right? 

I figure now is as good of time as ever to document what my days look like right now because in two months when things settle down, it'll all look different. 

As of now, I'm working every Thursday through Saturday night. So my week looks like this:

Monday- Home all day with babies

Tuesday- Home all day with babies

Wednesday- Home all day with babies

Thursday- Home all day with babies (except on this day, I nap when they nap and leave for work when Jake gets home)

Friday- Jake takes the girls to daycare, I sleep, I pick them up, and then when Jake gets home, I go to work. 

Saturday- Jake takes the girls to the YMCA while I sleep, I wake up around 230-3 to play with them, then head to work. 

Sunday- The girls hang with Jake, usually out doing something until noon or 1 when I wake up and my stent of days off begins! Usually this is the day we do something with friends or family.

It's busy, but it's the perfect schedule for us right now! Jake is obviously a huge help and never complains. He's pretty cool. 

So those "Home all day with babies" days are the days I will describe. I feel really lucky to have a job that makes it feel like I stay at home full time with the girls, but I'm also working full time. Best of both worlds. I seriously LOVE nursing. But that's besides the point. 

Our day usually starts around 6am. Bryn yells out "mommmyyyy, mommyyyy" and sings a little song (Eeee iiii eee iii eee iii oooohh). If she's crying when she wakes up, I let her stay in there a little longer. Waking up crying= a bad morning. Waking up singing= a good morning. We have way more good mornings than bad. 

Vivi usually wakes up around the same time or about 15 minutes later. Diapers changed. I usually put their day clothes on right away and make breakfast. 

Bryn usually eats toast and yogurt or a nutrigrain bar. Vivi eats a nutrigrain bar or pancakes and then a bottle.

Around 630- 645, Jake gets home from the gym. The girls watch Mickey Mouse or Little Einsteins. (And lately, Bryn has been requesting "Ho Ho" shows.. how did she even know?!) While he showers and gets ready, I listen to music, make coffee, light candles (I'm a smell FREAK), unload/load the dishwasher, and make breakfast.  Toast, turkey bacon, avocado and egg. The only thing that changes is whether or not I have turkey bacon and/or avocado. Today, we had toast and eggs Haha! Someone needs to hit the grocery! 

Jakes heads off to work around 730. Bryn always tells him "Go make da monnneyyyy!". I clean up the house for about 30 minutes. My house is always 30 minutes from looking clean. Doesn't mean it's actually clean. But it can LOOK clean, hehehe! In fact, I think I need to clean the bathrooms today because I can't remember the last time I did. Yikes.

For the most part, on my days off, I go to the YMCA. When it's nice out, we walk. It's only a half mile or less from my house. I take the girls to the daycare and do one of the classes. There is always an hour class I like usually at 835 or 935. After the class, again if it's nice, we go to the park which is between the YMCA and our house. Since it's starting to get colder, I'll be in the "family gym" more. They have it set up like a little gymnastics room. It'll be a good area for the girls to get energy out. 

** Some days we just lay around in the morning. Clean a little, play a lot, do some refereeing between the girls, color, craft, take walks, play outside, play dates. Our morning varies. But MOSTLY, I do the gym.

By the time we get back to our house from the Y, it's about 11- 1130 and time for lunch! Bryn was never picky and ate everything in front of her until recently. Now, whatever I can get her to eat is just fine with me. Vivi has a really cool habit of throwing every other bite onto the floor. Lunch is.. messy. 

Around noon, I lay the girls down for a nap. They both usually talk to themselves for 20 minutes and then go to sleep. Neither of them really fight me on it. Bryn even requests "night night" time sometimes. 

Jake comes home around 1230 for lunch. Watches Sports Center, updates me on his day, and vice versa, then heads back. Then, for a glorious hour, it is MY time. Sometimes, I deep clean the things I can't do while the girls are up. Sometimes I nap. Sometimes I sit and watch tv. Sometimes I shower and make myself look human. Yesterday, I crafted. Just depends on my mood. But on Thursdays, I always nap because it's my only sleep during a 26 hour period. 

The girls wake up around 230. We usually stick around the house in the afternnoons unless I need to go to the grocery. We clean up from the morning activities, do a lot of playing, crafting, play outside, go for walks.. whatever. Nothing too crazy. The girls are usually pretty calm right after their nap and will let me Pinterest, read, make dinner, etc. 

Jake gets home around 5:30. Ahhhh. My favorite time of day. :-) We eat dinner all together... forabout 5 minutes before Bryn deems herself "allllll done" after eating 3 bites. The dinner struggle is REAL. Jake and I attempt to update each other on our afternoons, but it's usually interrupted by "Daddy, read!", "Daddy, dance!", "Daddy, SING!".. or crying. Bryn is manic around Jake, She thinks he is her personal dancing monkey.. and he pretty much is. 

After dinner is bath time, and whoever isn't bathing the girls does the dinner dishes. Post bath is PJ, reading and snuggling time. We read a LOT of books. Like, a lot. Bryn is obsessed. 

The girls go to bed around 7:30. We LOVE their early bedtime because we still get to watch a few shows together, have some quiet time and relax. We always have "our shows" and then our individual shows. We are currently watching The Walking Dead, The Blacklist, Heroes, and The Voice (even though we are like 7 episodes behind). 

Bedtime comes around 930 or 10. Vivi still wakes up once at night on most nights, mer. Aaaaand... that's our days!

So simple, right?! It really isn't bad! I always say that overall, I have really awesome days. Some moments are rough, but I don't have a lot of overall BAD days.

I'm sure things our schedule will change as the weather does and as the holidays come.. and as Vivi begins to WALK. Yikes.

<3<3 Ashley