We Have Teeth

Well we had a good day yesterday and night with Alyx!  Thankfully!  She has 5 teeth on the top that have come through but not all the way down yet.  So hopefully the most of her pain is gone now.  Her smile is so funny right now because you can see the whites of the teeth on top =)  She's too cute!

It is sooo hard these days to get a good picture of Alyx.  She is on the move constantly.  She's doing really well with walking.  She takes quite a few steps and then eventually sits down very quickly.  She is still doing a lot of crawling =)

Since she is hard to get a good picture of, i'll settle for sleeping pictures.  Seriously, is there anything cuter than a sleeping baby??

I just love when she falls asleep in my arms in the evening =)  She has been going to bed around 6:30-7:00, and then until 8:00, it's me and Emma time.  We've been watching some Christmas movies and cuddling in the recliner.  As much as Emma loves being a big sister and loves Alyx more than anything, it's still super important that Emma get one on one time with us.  So I make sure that happens every evening. 
Miss Emma goes to school today, and then she has the rest of the week off.  She and Brian are going to camp tomorrow night, and staying the night with all the cousins and their dads.  It's a tradition the night before Thanksgiving that Brian and his brothers bring all the kids out there and they stay the night.  Thursday morning i'll pack up and head out there and we'll do our Thanksgiving lunch out there.  Wednesday i'll spend the evening baking in the kitchen, one of my favorite things to do =) 
Happy Tuesday all!!

Weekend Recap

The weekend is yet again over and done with.  We had a pretty low key weekend around here.  Friday night the girls and I, and my mother in law went to dinner at Applebees.  And then a little shopping at Wal-Mart. 

Saturday we packed up and headed to a Christmas Fair that was about an hour away.  They had sooo much stuff that I honestly could have bought.  But I settled for 3 Christmas signs to hang up around the house.  When I get them up, i'll be sure to take pictures.  Saturday night we celebrated my MIL's birthday with pizza and cake.

Sunday was spent with a fussy fussy fussy baby.  Did I mention fussy?!?  Oh my word.  Alyx is teething, and has about 5 of her top teeth coming in all at once and she's not happy about it.  We did manage to get our Christmas tree up.  And so far she has stayed away from it.  But I'm sure she will get much more interested in the days ahead. 

So there is our weekend recap.  I'm hoping that this teething thing that Alyx has going on doesn't last too long.  She didn't sleep hardly at all last night, so that makes for a very tired momma this morning.  Hope everyone has a Happy Monday, and a good start to Thanksgiving week =) 



TGIF

It's Friday!  This has been a long week, and I am so glad the weekend is finally almost upon us!  So recapping this past week.

It has been C-O-L-D this week!  But i'm thankful for the cold rather than all the snow a lot of the country is getting!  

Alyx went from smiling, laughing and being a goober to sound asleep the other day in literally 2 seconds.  It was so funny.  She just looked at me and plopped her head down and went fast asleep!

My house is completely decorated for Christmas except for our tree.  I kinda love our mantle this year =)

I made this cream cheese pound cake the other day, and it was amazing so i'm sharing the recipe with you!

3 sticks of butter, softened

1 (8oz) package cream cheese, softened

3 cups sugar

6 large eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

3 cups all purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 300°F

Use an electric mixer to mix the butter and cream cheese until creamy.

Gradually add sugar and beat for 5 minutes.  Then add eggs one at a time.  Stir in vanilla.  Add flour and salt gradually to the mixer.

Pour batter into well greased bundt or tube cake pan.  

Place 2 cups of water in an ovenproof container on the rack in the oven next to the cake.  

Bake the cake for 1 hour 30 mins.

Icing: 

1 cup powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon milk

You can thank me later for sharing this recipe! haha  My father in law tried it and said it was the best cake he's ever had.  I would make this over and over again!  The only thing that I did different was I squeezed a fresh orange into the cake mix and then used the remainder of the juice from the orange and squeezed it into the icing.  So it had a hint of orange flavor to it.  So So good!

**************

The other night before bed Alyx made herself comfy on her new couch she got for her birthday =)

She is too funny!  She looks like she just had a full meal and now she's taking a rest! 

And lastly, last night Emma and I went to Target. She had a little fun there...

We laughed and laughed at these!  So cute!

Happy Friday all, Enjoy your weekend!!!

Sunday Ramblings

So who is all decorated for Christmas??  I am!  I know, I know it's early, however I really wanted to get the inside done because Brian is changing crews at work which meant he is changing the days he works.  So while he had days off the same as me, I wanted his help getting it all done =)  And i'm pretty sure I haven't mentioned here, but he was promoted to Sergeant at work =)   The girls and I are super proud of him!  I know this is something he's wanted for a while now =)

Emma's Elf on the Shelf, Patch, made a very early appearance the other day.  

 

He decorated her tree and left her an Elf on the Shelf nailpolish kit.  She loved it.  And a cute little card too.  In previous years Emma has been scared to death of Patch...we're hoping this year is better!  

Emma wore Matilda Jane to school the other day, and looked pretty darn cute I think =)  

We were blessed with a little more snow the other day, but thankfully most of it has gone away again.  Emma was excited to wear her new ski pants and boots though =)

Alyx has been doing this cute little head thing for a while now.  If you look at her and say "give me a hug", she puts her head down like this and smiles.  She's too cute!

I gave french braiding a try!  Not bad!  I wish I could do it better, but i'll keep practicing!

Alyx was too funny the other night at my MIL's.  She was feeding Kaden her apple puffs!  Every once in a while she would get a puff into his mouth and take it right back and eat it herself! LOL =)

Lastly, my mother bought the girls this new book.  If you see it in the stores, I highly suggest it.  Emma loved it!  And the illustrations are beautiful.  We enjoyed it last night with hot cocoa.

Happy Sunday all!!! =)

 

Alyx's Cake Smash

After our photos a couple of weeks ago, I was certain it was a complete fail.  However, I was completely wrong!!  Our photographer got some ahhhmazing photos!  I'm only going to share Alyx's cake smash photos, because I don't want to ruin the surprise for Christmas cards =)

So a funny little tid bit...Alyx hated the cake.  Like I mean, hated it!  So in order to make it look like she was eating the cake, I put the apple puffs around the edge of the cake, and she was eating those! =) haha

The other photos of the 2 girls together came out good too =)  I can't wait to show those off next!! =)

I Mustache You Some Questions

I was tagged by Bri at School in our Slippers, and I thought it would be fun to play along with this.  Bri's blog is one of the very first blogs I started to read and comment on.  She is an awesome person, and even though we have never "met" I feel like I've known her forever!! =)  So on with the questions!

Four names that people call me, other than my real name:

     * Jo

     * Jo-Jo (which I really hate, LOL)

     * Brian always calls me Babe

     * And well, Mama! ha!

Four jobs that I have had:

     * Babysitter: I babysat a TON in high school and loved it!  I mostly sat for a certain family who I   must say spoiled me rotten! haha

     * Coffee Shop: This was a fun job!  I worked opening up a coffee shop in the mornings.  We did like 20 different flavors of coffees/cappucinos.  Made homemade muffins and then at lunch time we did specialty sandwiches.

     * Graphic Designer: I worked for a local newspaper designing the ads.  It was a lot of fun!

     * 911 Dispatcher.  My proper title is Emergency Communications Specialist.  LOL  I hate that title!!

Four movies I've watched more than once:

     * Father of the Bride 1 & 2
     * The Parent Trap (old & new)
     * Annie (the original)
     * Home Alone (the 1st one)

Four places I have lived:

     * Millinocket, ME: This is my hometown, born and raised
     * Auburn, ME: I went to college there
     * Bangor, ME: I lived there for a while with my cousin in an apartment
     * Old Town, ME: We've lived here for 8 years now =)

Four places I have been:

     * Albuquerque, New Mexico: I was very fortunate to travel a lot with my parents growing up
     * Nashville, TN: LOVED it there!
     * LaGrange, GA:  My best friend lives there and we have visited quite a few times
     * New Brunswick, Canada: Since we border Canada it's pretty easy to get there

Four places I would rather be right now:

     * At home =)
     * Disney World =)
     * On a tropical island somewhere =)
     * Anywhere with my girls and Brian =)

Four things I won't eat:

     * Liquid cheese!!!  Ackkk!  Velveta especially!  I have a really weird thing about liquified cheese! haha
     * Beans.  I'm not a fan of beans at all.  Especially black beans.  I so wish I liked them though.
     * Sashimi.  I love sushi, but large pieces of uncooked fish.  I can't do it. 
     * And brown hot dogs.  Come to Maine sometime and i'll treat you to a red hot dog.  You will never eat a brown hot dog again!! ha!

Four of my favorite foods:

     * Pasta!  I love love love pasta! 
     * Chicken.  I could probably eat chicken cook 1,000 different ways every.single.day.
     * Lobster.  Love Lobster!
     * Whoopie pies!  And I hear there are some at my house waiting for me for when I get out of work from my mom =)

Four TV shows that I watch:

     * The Voice
     * The Bachelor/Bachelorette
     * House Hunters
     * And anything on Food Network

Four things I am looking forward to this year:

     * Thanksgiving, I can't wait for it actually!
     * Christmas parades with my girls
     * Meeting Santa
     * And basically spending the holiday season baking away!!!

Four things i'm always saying:

     * "Emma she is just a baby"  LOL  I say this a lot!
     * "I love you"
     * "Seriously" I find that I say this a.lot!!  Like a lot!  Seriously! haha
     * "911 What is the address of your Emergency?" Haha This is like 100 times a day!!

Four people I tag:

     * Shawna @ Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
     * Tonya @ Here Comes the Sun
     * Desiree @ Macke Monologues
     * Jenny @ The Chronicles of We

Hope you all join in! =)

A 1 year Old, some Randoms & A recipe!

We've survived the first few days having a 1 year old!!  She is developing quite the personality now.  The other night we were having supper and I was making faces at her, and she was mimicking me and the faces I was making.  She was so funny!

She makes us all laugh =)

I still can't believe that squishy little baby is an entire year old!  

I have to share my Target haul the other day!  Target is by far my most favorite store ever.  Like ever!!  

Everything was 70% off because it was considered Halloween/Fall items.  I got so many school snacks for Emma that it's crazy!  Plus plastic silver ware tissues and Kool-Aid boxes for her.  All for $28.00.  Normally it would have been over $100 =)

When I find a new recipe, I love to share them.  The other night I made this Fajita Chicken Bake.  It was a big hit and something that we will probably end up making a lot.  And it's probably one of the easiest meals ever!!

I didn't get a picture of it after it was baked, so this is pre oven.  You must try this recipe...trust me you'll love it!  

So glad this is Friday!  It's our weekend off, and we are celebrating Miss Alyx's birthday on Sunday.  Today after work i'm heading to see a specialist for my hand.  I'm certain that I have stupid carpal tunnel.  Ugggh.  I'm having an EMG today, so hopefully I will find out soon what my options are!

Well, Happy Friday & Happy Weekend All! =)

Alyx Grace * 1 Year Old *

The day has come!  We have a 1 year old!  I'm sad about her growing up so fast, but i'm also so in love with this little lady she is becoming.  She is sweet and feisty at the same time.  Today is officially her birthday, but we are having her party this Sunday.  Happy 1st Birthday Alyx!!

 

Weight: 20 pounds

Length: 28 inches

Hair: She's blonde!

Eyes: Blue blue blue =)

Clothing: She is wearing pretty much all 12 month clothing right now

 Diapers: Size 3 pampers swaddlers

Feedings: We got the ok from our pediatrician to start giving her whole milk.  So far she is doing ok with it.  It will take some time though.  And she is eating all food we eat pretty much!

Crawling: She is still everywhere!  Anddddd, she has taken a few steps!!  We're getting there!

 Talking: She says, Mama, DaDa, Emma & Nana

Happy 1st Birthday Baby girl!  We love you so much!  And still in shock that an entire year has past!!

Things don't always go as planned...

You know the saying, Things don't always go as planned??  Well...That was us yesterday!  I have been so excited for Emma and Alyx's fall pictures.  And included in the pictures we were going to do a "Smash cake" session for Alyx.  Well...Alyx was not in the mood for pictures at all yesterday :/  Like at all.  Ugggh. 

There was squirming away...crying...and just plain not having it.  lol  Our photographer is amazing and she was calm the entire time and just let Alyx do her thing to keep her happy.  She assured us that she got some great photos of her though.

I was certain that once we got the cake out that her mood would turn around and she would dive into the cake!

Well...I was wrong with that!  She wanted nothing to do with the cake.  In fact she got a tiny bit of purple frosting on her fingertip, and you would have thought it was the end of the world.  We ended up putting her blueberry puffs around the side of the cake and she ate those so it made it look like she was actually eating the cake! LOL

And this was Alyx sitting as far away from the balloons I bought as possible.  The balloons might bite ya know! =)

It was an interesting afternoon.  Stressful for me...and hoping the photos came out good!

Happy Halloween!!

Halloween is over and done with for another year!  The girls had a blast dressing up and going out to get candy.  I'll have more photos to share later from my real camera, but for now you will have to stick with a couple of iphone pictures.

This year we had Anna from Frozen...and a chicken!  Emma was the same chicken at the same age.  I love this costume, and it kept her really warm.  Surprisingly Emma was the only Anna that I saw!!  There were tons of Elsa's, but no Anna's around our area. 

We stopped at a really cool house that was all decked out in Lego stuff.  The people were even dressed as Lego people.  

I hope you all had a great Trick-or-Treat!!  And I posted this last night on Facebook.

This is exactly how I feel right now!! =) =)