Last Week of Being 3!

Sunday night I was talking with Cohen and telling her that this week would be her last week as a 3 year old since her birthday is next Monday.  I asked her what things she would like to do this week and I think her #1 thing was color which we do EVERY day.  I don't think that she mentioned starting her week off at the Dr's office but that is exactly what we did.  Monday at around 6:00 am, just before my alarm was going to go off she woke me up complaining that her ear hurt "really bad done in the hole".  When I felt of her I knew right away it had to be an ear infection.  She has never complained about her ears and only had 1 or 2 ear infections her whole life but she definitely had a fever.  I gave her 2 Tylenol and she went back to sleep.  I think everyone else must be sick too because we took the last appointment of the day at the Dr. and I took both girls in.  Cohen had the croup last week that has now turned into a cold and Kate was lucky enough to catch it too.  What bothers me with her is that you cannot give any medicine and I worry about the cough getting down in her lungs.  At the Dr. though she checked out great and was determined it was just a nasty cold but hopefully it will go away soon!  Cohen did have a left ear infection but was so excited to know that Dr. Hendrix said she had "the prettiest right ear she had seen all day and that flowers were down in there and a bunny rabbit!"  Cohen was also excited when I told her the medicine she would be taking was always my favorite "pink medicine" when I was a little girl.  She has offered to share hers with me all day today.  The way I have felt, I almost took her up on it!  We have spent all day today inside trying to start feeling better.  Hopefully tomorrow will be better for Kate too!  Cohen is back to her normal chipper self already.  She is now looking forward to enjoying her last week of being 3 and counting down to this weekend's birthday party!!

Sunday night before the sickness really kicked in...I wanted one with both my girls

Love my babies!

Showing me her Pretty Ear

Poor baby girl still gave me a litte smile even though she feels so bad

   

Preschool Winter Olympics

Today Cohen had Winter Olympics at First Friends.  The 3 and 4 year old classes compete in different games like the sack race, skipping, running in and out of cones, carrying an egg on a spoon, walking backwards, and racing on the small scooters we have.  They also get a chance to perform any trick that they choose.  We pull out the big mat and everyone does a "trick".  Some do fancy jumps, some do flips and cartwheels and some do things I'm not sure what it is but its cute! :)  We have been practicing with the kids over the last 2 weeks off and on.  Each child also makes an Olympic flag that they carry when they march in.  They say the Pledge of Allegiance and sing "God Bless America".  Its super cute to watch them.  Cohen had a ball even though I was worried she didn't feel very good today.  This crazy weather has left a lot of us with sinus problems.  Her favorite races were running in and out of the cones ("zig zagging" as she says) and the egg and spoon race.  We had a great turn out from all the parents and grandparents which is always nice.  I had Kelly snap a few pictures of Cohen since I was busy helping.  At the end of the Olympics we give medals out to each child and they are very proud to show that off!  Cohen has wore hers all day, even during her nap.  I'm very proud of my little Olympian!

Cohen & her friend Rylie being funny before the Olympics-2 show stoppers for sure! 

And Again...

Walking in with their flags

Sack Race

Egg/spoon race!

Running through the cones

Cohen & Savannah showing off their medals

CoCo &  JoJo

Cohen & Brooke 

Proud of her medal!

Showing off the flag she made

Little Nosetta and Cohen's Magic Wand

If your around our family, you may have heard me mention how nosy our little Kate is.  This baby has to see everything thats going on whether its someone in the house, Cohen playing with toys, the T.V., you name it and she has to see whats going on with it.  Tonight Cohen was sitting at our kitchen counter playing her LeapPad, or "Lily Frog" as she calls it.  I was walking by with Kate and when we got to Cohen Kate almost leaned out of my arms to see what Cohen was doing.  It was funny that I asked Kelly to take a picture.  She would lean back up and as soon as Cohen's game would make another sound she would fall back over trying to get a glimpse over Cohen's shoulder.  She is definitely my little "nosetta".

Tonight Cohen also came to me with her play wand and was asking me things I wanted to get rid of since she could get rid of them with her wand.  I named a few things playing along then when she asked me again I told her any wrinkles I had, thinking this would get a reaction.  She waved her wand and told me they were gone.  I said "GREAT so you can't see them anymore can you?" and she replied, "Mama its just a pretend wand".  She then told me that I would have to go to her friend Josie's house to spend the night because her wand was real and that would get rid of wrinkles for real.  I then asked her if she thought I had wrinkles on my face and she said "no, that just looks like a Mama."  Too cute.  She is at the age where you never know what she might say but you can bet it will probably be entertaining!

Earlier this week Cohen started back to her gymnastics class.  She has been asking when it would be time to go back so I know she was so excited.  I had meant to take my camera to get some pictures of her since I haven't taken any since her very first class but I forgot so I snapped one with my phone of her and Josie before class started.  I'm very proud of how much Cohen has improved and by how much she listens to her teacher.  We're hoping to go see the Gym Dawgs real soon and I know that will be right up her alley!

Getting Back in a Routine

We haven't had much excitement in the last few days.  Last week and over the weekend we have slowly gotten back in a routine.  It seems like Christmas was so long ago and yet we were only back in school one week!  Today was even a holiday.  We get spoiled fast in this house!  I'm already on a countdown to summer.
The last week has been spent getting back into the school routine, signing back up for our gym memberships and going back to classes, AWANA started back at church on Wednesday night, and then it was the weekend!!  Friday we enjoyed a fun night and delicious dinner at Sug and Pop's, Saturday Cohen and I went to pick out invitations for her upcoming birthday party, and that night I took her to see the high school's Miss Echo pageant.  I thought Cohen would love seeing the pretty dresses and definitely the singing and dancing and I was right.  I thought she was going to sing as loud as some of the contestants, especially those who chose to sing Taylor Swift, Cohen's FAVORITE!  Yesterday we enjoyed lunch with my mama after church and then headed off to Athens to see Nana.  Kelly and I enjoyed a movie date night last night which was so nice!  It was just an all around fun weekend for us.  Cohen topped her weekend off today by getting to go to Chuck-e-Cheese with her best friend Brooke.  She was so excited to go and even more excited to show me the tattoos she picked out as her prize.  My child has become fascinated by tattoos!  Right now I'm just glad she thinks they all need to wash off :)
Kate has become more of a Mama's girl lately.  It is very sweet but almost worries me a bit because it can be hard on the person watching her if we are gone.  She is becoming very interested in food.  She eats her cereal and baby food great but she also wants what we are having!  I'm hoping this means she is going to be a good eater.  Her Mum-Mums and Puffs aren't cutting it for her, she wants the real stuff.  I took this picture of Cohen and Kate this week.  Kate has loved her jumpy toys and this is her Jenny Jumper that we borrowed from her Annie and Baylor.  She loves to jump around and makes all kinds of sounds while she does it.  Cohen will dance and sing for her and Kate will bounce up and down which is a great reaction for Cohen.  I had a picture of Kate smiling but Blogger is giving me upload troubles so one it is...

A Diaper Change Gone BAD!

This could be gross so you may or may not want to read:)  Today we had a little mess in our house.  After feeding Kate her cereal this afternoon I smelled a dirty diaper so I took her to her room and changed her.  Nothing unusual with her change.  She reached for her lamp the whole time while I changed her with only a little wrestling.  After I had her clean diaper on her I noticed a tiny spot on her cheek that I thought looked like poop but I knew there was really no way she could have it on her face.  I picked her up and thought she still smelled bad and as a I looked down at the changing table this is what I saw...

A small mess but nothing that can't go be washed in the washing machine, however, this was at the top of the changing table, right where she lays her head!  I still have no idea how in the world poop got at the top of her changing pad and I won't bore you with what I think MAY have happened but the end result that had to be cleaned was this...

NASTY...Yes, I know but all I could do other than text Kelly to hurry home to help me somehow clean this up was laugh.  Yes, I often pray for things to make me laugh and this was certainly the one for today.  Cohen was in the room with me the entire time and she did not think this was funny.  She kept holding her nose telling me "Mommy, this is not funny." She was also the one to meet Kelly at the door to tell him Kate had stinky in her hair ;)  I had texted him a picture to help explain my need for help, even though I had already pretty much cleaned her up when he got there.  I let him handle the laundry items.  Little sweet Kate though never knew what was going on or why Mama kept laughing and taking some funny pictures that I know one day she will laugh at herself.  She was just happy to be in the bath tub splashing around.  After 3 hair washes and a bath she was in her jammies and the whole ordeal must have got her "pooped" (literally) because she fell asleep in her rain forest jumper.  Can I just say again...I love that baby girl!

Her good side for the moment :) She is oblivious to everything 

So happy in the tub

Splish-splashing!

Poor little baby, all tired out

Happy Birthday Kaden!

This weekend was a fun filled weekend for us.  We had 2 birthday parties, one Friday night and one Saturday.  The party on Saturday took us back to Charlotte, which we always love doing.  I still miss Charlotte a lot so going back is always so fun for me.  Our good friends, Michael and Amy, had a party for their son Kaden.  We all worked together, and Amy and I went through both of our pregnancies together.  We got to share all the fun that comes with pregnancy and we would love having lunch together to satisfy those cravings!!  Cohen and Kaden are exactly 4 weeks apart and now Kate and Ashton are 3 weeks apart.  We couldn't have planned this better if we had tried.  I just wish we lived closer.  It was fun to go back up for the party and I really can't believe our kids are turning 4!!  Kaden had a party at Bounce U and the kids, (and adults) had a blast!
We made a stop at the mall, which I always love doing, before we went to the party.  Both girls had done so good on the drive up.  They each napped a little and then Cohen was happy to play her leapster or color.  She had been coloring with her princess markers and when we stopped she had a little on her nose.  I asked her had she decided to skip coloring the paper and start coloring herself and she then replied "yes, me and Kate."  I then look over at Kate and Cohen had really got started on the side of Kate's face.  Kate must not have minded at all since she never made a sound.  I had to get a picture of her though because even with marker on her she was so cute and I couldn't help but laugh at what Cohen did.

Her new face tattoo courtesy of Big Sis Cohen

After a quick shopping trip we headed over to the party and celebrated with Kaden.  The kids got to play in 2 different rooms filled with fun bounce houses.  In the first room, Cohen had the most fun climbing the big spider web.  We kept telling her it was a little too hard for her and taking her to the other ones in the room but she kept coming back insisting to do it.  Finally Kelly got in with her since parents could get in and were trying to help their kids, and they both were up at the top ready to slide down before I knew it.  I was impressed, I must say.  I don't know if I could have made it up that fast!  She was proud though :)

Finally ready to slide after the climb!

This is the spider web she climbed!

The second room had a fun obstacle course and a very large slide that everyone loved!   Kelly and I took turns going down with Cohen and we all even went down together once, Kate in Kelly's lap and Cohen in mine! We also took turns racing through the obstacle course with Cohen.  Miss Kate got a turn going down a little slide by herself!  It was so much fun for everyone and we loved celebrating for Kaden.  After the party we headed back to Michael and Amy's for a nice relaxing night.  We got to catch up with each other and the kids played until late!  We watched a movie and just had a lot of fun like we always do.  It is so nice to pick right up where you leave off with good friends.  Life gets so busy so often, especially with the kids but we look forward to time with friends any chance we can get!

Kelly & Cohen climbing to the top of the BIG slide

 Coming down the first time

 On the obstacle course with Mama!

 Coming down the big slide with Mama!

Kate slid down this little slide by herself!!

 Ashton and Kate

 Cohen playing "peek-a-boo" with Kate

Look at those sweet thighs!

Kaden and Cohen playing

We ended our weekend with a lunch with Jessica and her bf, Michael.  A fun weekend seeing great friends.  I'll be ready to go again real soon.  We can never see everyone while we're there so we have to get back soon to make more rounds!

A Baby Bed for 2

Cohen has gotten in the habit each morning of going to Kate's room as soon as she wakes up.  Kate is usually awake talking in her bed.  This morning I woke up to hear Cohen talking to Kate.  I grabbed the camera because I knew Cohen had probably gotten into the bed.  She was explaining her new leapster explorer to Kate.  Without being seen, I snapped a couple of pictures then they saw me so I took one of them looking at me.  Cohen is just too funny.  I'm just waiting for the night she tries to sleep in the bed with Kate!

I see a little head as I go in the door

playing in the bed

Sweet sisters!

Kate 7 months

7 months old today!

I really feel like I was just typing Kate's 6 month post and here I am now typing her 7th!  What a great 7 months these have been enjoying our sweet Kate Daniels!  Her personality is really coming alive and I love it!  This is one of my favorite baby stages even though I'm always sad to see one end.  I just enjoy her so much and wish she wouldn't grow so fast.  I feel like she is now closer to the 1 year mark since we are now past the halfway (6 month) mark.  On the happy side, she is so fun right now.  She smiles constantly and is starting to sit up by herself.  She just talks and coos to us and recently she has started playing with her lips and making cute noises.  Each little discovery is so cute!

Right now a few things that make Kate excited are:

1. Mama!--I don't want to brag but my baby girl does love her mama and I have to eat that up!   One of my favorite things is to go in her room each morning and see her get excited to see me.  She just shakes her arms and legs in excitement and makes noises.  She will also reach for me when other people are holding her.  I know this is bad for them but I still love it!  She will grab my face and give me big ole wet kisses!  Its a good feeling to know how loved you are and she will watch for me.  Cohen was the exact same way and I know this stage eventually passes but I hope she will always be a mama's girl! 
2. Dooley--Kate absolutely loves Dooley.  She is fascinated by him.  She will get so excited and just talk to Dooley.  He in turn loves to give her wet kisses all over so I have to keep a good watch on this so she isn't getting doggy baths all the time.  She on the other hand wouldn't mind it a bit.  She will open her mouth and take it all!  I know when Dooley is in the room by Kate's squeals.
3. The fireplace--Kate is amazed by the fire.  I think the movement and bright color attracts her attention and she loves to stare at it.  Kelly loves to build a fire and Kate loves to watch it 

What she is doing now:

• Kate is a little over 16 pounds.  She is still wearing 3-6 months, or just 6 months clothes but she has moved into a few 6-9 months especially things that were Cohen's and may have shrunk a little.
• Loves her hands, feet, toes, and now lips.  
• Loves to watch Cohen too, its hard to feed her because she is constantly turning her head to find Cohen. 
• Does really well eating cereal, fruits, and vegetables.  We are going to start eating food twice a day, we have been doing just once.  She is very interested in table food and loves to try to get her hands on anything we eat.  She really loved her first taste of Christmas cookie and a Wendy's Frosty!!  Bad habits starting young:)
• Kate is learning to Pat-a-cake and will clap her hands together sometimes.  She also is learning to wave her hand!  I will tell her "hey" or "bye-bye".
• Sleeps pretty well.  She has recently gotten in a habit of waking up in the night and I have gotten in a very bad habit of bringing her in our bed to feed her just to go back to sleep.  Not good and we are quickly working to cut this out.  I'm guilty of just loving to be snuggled up with her.  She still doesn't have a lovie or paci so we are on our own at bedtime and she will put up a fight most nights.  
• She is a very good sport though!  Throughout Christmas and New Year's Eve when she was very tired she hung in there while we were out and behaved like the sweet angel she is.  

Love some Dooley!

Watching the fire in the fireplace

Sitting up all by myself!

Mommy's darling girl