The Season to be SICK

It never fails that before a trip or the holiday's someone in our house will be sick. So we began our Thanksgiving week off by a trip to the Doctor's office for both kids. Luckily I was able to go with my Mom so I didn't have to try to wrangle both kids. Olivia hasn't been fond of the Dr. office since she had her ears pierced over 1 1/2 years ago.

Weighing in at:

23.1 lbs -- Olivia

&

19.1 lbs. -- Benjamin

I was so proud of Olivia this time, she let Dr. P do everything he needed to with no tears and no whining. It was a pretty stress free visit. It turns out that Olivia has allergies which we knew, but it had turned into bronchitis. Poor kid has been coughing her head off for a long time. She was put on antibiotics and after 7 days is feeling much better. She is such a trooper espeically when it comes to taking her medicine.

Poor little Benjamin he just has a little cold. He is pretty good about being sick, not to fussy and when he sneezes he gets rid of all the snot. Saves us from having to suck his nose out, which he isn't too found of.

Race Weekend

This year Ben and I were very lucky to be able to join his family in Miami for the last race in the Nascar Season (if that is what you call it). It was also the first time that I have been away from the kids for a whole weekend.

We drove down Friday night and checked into the hotel pretty late. Saturday morning we were rested and ready for our Dolphin Adventure. There is nothing like getting into freezing cold water on a chilly day. But it was worth it to get to splash around in the water with another friendly mammal.

Once we were back on dry and warmer land Darla, Vicky, Julie, and I left the boys to go shopping and have lunch. We were on a mission for sushi and Kardashian's. Found the first one and had a delicious lunch at the Aventura mall which I have never been to. We even ran into a very very good look alike to Hugh Hefner. Unfortunately the Kardashians were no where to be found. Of course then the boys needed a ride because they had a little too much fun at the bars on South Beach.

That night we had a Sprint Dinner to attend and we knew that it was set to be a memorable night. Julie and Wyatt got engaged before dinner out on the balcony. It was sweet and a great way to remember our trip. Of course we had to celebrate with more drinks after dinner in the lobby. We are so excited for what the next 9 months will hold.

Sunday was the big Race Day out in Homestead. We were spoiled with a police escort out to the track and back, which was a blessing since the traffic was HORRENDOUS. I only had a few small anxiety attacks as we watched the police motorcycles force people to the other side of the road and several of what looked like they could be brushes with death while we drove down the wrong side of the road and people wouldn't get out of their way. Once we got their we had a great time touring the pits, meeting drivers, and watching the race from the comfort of a Sprint suite.

The Last Morse

I know it has been awhile and I have a lot of blogging to do! So I will start with some very amazing and long awaited news.

Julie (my sister-in-law) is engaged!!!

Wyatt asked her to marry him while we were away in Miami 2 weekends ago. It was Saturday night while we were at a Dinner reception for Sprint (we were down their for the Homestead Nascar Race). He pulled her outside on the balcony and got down on one knee. I was able to snap a couple photos.

It was wonderful to be a part of such a special moment for the two of them.

This group picture was taken just a few minutes before they got engaged!

A Future Makeup Guru

Last week Olivia was hanging out in the bathroom while Ben was showering and she was being awful quite. When Ben peeked out at her, he found her applying my mascara...to her eyelashes. Yes, correctly minus a few streaks above her eyes she did a damn fine job.

I guess watching Mom put makeup on almost every day has taught her something. Of course we had to follow up that look with a little chap stick.

List's, List's, & More Freakin List's

With 3 upcoming trips, decorating for the holiday's, and Christmas shopping to be done you can say that I am about drowning under a million lists. Packing list's, To Do List's, Christmas List's, and Cleaning List's galore.

Yes, that is my packing powerpoint! Don't judge, you know you like my organizational skills!

You would think with car trips to Myrtle Beach (3 times) and  Key West, a flight to Boston, Train trips, and a flight back to Orlando (all within the last 6 months), I should be a damn pro now of traveling with 2 small children after all the research I have done. I have sorted through Pinterest and other blogs with Mom's tips and tricks on what to pack and how to keep a kid occupied on flights and long car trips. What would I have done in the days before the internet? My anxiety would be through the roof (for those of you who don't know I am one of those OCD people who pack weeks ahead of time and then repack 3-5 times before I leave. Let me tell you my In-Law's think it's hilarious). To say I am a planner is an understatement! Anyway's I digress.

I still feel stressed to the max about forgetting something (like; car seats, strollers, toys, bottles, diapers...the list could go on and on.) So I live by lists and lots of them. Now let's add something new into the mix. For Thanksgiving we are traveling to Pennsylvania via plane. Not so bad right? That is until you think,

Hey Crazy Lady. Aren't you from Florida? You know where the weather

is hot and sunny most of the year. Don't you know it snowed there yesterday?

Yup this is one of those times where I wish that you could just snap your fingers and be there with all of your belonging's. Because between 4 people I'm sure that one suitcase isn't going to cut it. Especially now that I have to make sure my kids stay warm enough to come back with all their fingers and toes.

Yes, we (or should I say me) are working on getting organized about Christmas this year. With 2 kids and tons of family to buy for, we need an early start. That and my children aren't hurting for anything so trying to decide what to get them is a challenge. It's about things that stimulate their minds, things that encourage pretend, educational items.

As the days go on I will continue to change, update, and make new list's!

Trick-or-Treating 2012

Wednesday night we took the kiddos Trick-or-Treating around a couple streets, by the third house Olivia had it down pretty well. It was a beautifully cool evening so our little ones were not sweating in their costumes, like every other year.

Pickin' Pumpkin's

Better late then never, we finally made it to the Pumpkin Patch with the kids. Olivia had a blast just running up and down the aisles full of pumpkin's saying, "this one?" to all of them. Benjamin just enjoyed sitting amoungst them all picking the grass.

Here are some pictures from our trip.

7 Month's {Benjamin}

Really it's been 7 month's? I wish that I could stop time.

He is still the happiest little baby I have ever seen, so content to just hang out with everyone. He loves to be talked to and played with, but he also loves to sit in the pack and play and interact with his toys. His favorite toy is his jumpy seat, he could be in that thing for hours. Benjamin is still teething like crazy, he chews on anything and everything that he can get his hands on. He likes to drag things across his bottom teeth so they make that squeaky sound.

Benjamin is a mobile little man now. Friday October 12, he was off and crawling across the room. Before then he would crawl 2 little crawls and then sit up on his hiney.



He talks non stop, but I guess in this family you have to keep up to compete with Mommy and Olivia. He says Dada and Mama so far and it sometimes sounds like he is saying Hi.

Benjamin is a pretty good sleeper. He takes 2 naps during the day, about 1-2 hours in the morning and in the afternoon. Sometimes he squeezes in some in the car too. He goes down for the night between 8-8:30pm usually waking between 12-3am for a bottle and then he is up for the day between 6-7am.

The day that this boy can have big people food, I think he will be in heaven. If he sees anyone eating he is right there with his mouth wide open and hands trying to grab for anything. We have gone though all the baby foods now and his favorites are any and all of them. Including the chicken and ham which I find disgusting. We still aren't fast enough getting the food from the container to his mouth. He just sits there with his mouth wide open waiting for that spoonful of goodness. It's hilarious. He gets 2 meals a day breakfast and dinner, he was getting 3 but he wasn't taking enough milk so we had to cut one out.

I also stopped pumping so we are now almost through our stash and in the next 2 weeks he will be moving over to formula. We will see what changes come with that switch.

I owe you and myself his 7 month pics, coming soon.