New Blog!

Hello, my faithful blog readers. I have some exciting news - I have a new blog! Don't worry - I'm not getting rid of this one. I still want to use this as a place to post my "baby book" updates of the girls.

But I've wanted a "for real" site for a while - my own dot com- and Rustin helped me build one! It is thelilacdoor.com. I migrated a few posts from this blog over there and plan to write new ones soon. I'm going to of course have my usual rants on motherhood and life, but will also be posting DIY and Fashion posts.

It's something that's been sort of a pipe dream for a while, and I'm so glad it's finally a reality. There is a spot on the right where you can sign up for email updates from that one as well. I am also going to add an Instagram account for the blog - @thelilacdoor. Hope you all like it, and hopefully I can get the post I have been writing about Avery turning 4 for about 4 months up sometime!

Arden 10, 11, and 12 Months!

Wow, so I have TOTALLY failed at keeping up with Arden's monthly blog posts. I guess it's second kid problems. The last few months have been crazy busy, but I want to try to catch up.

Honestly I don't remember what milestones she hit at the different months, but I DO have pictures from each month. So, first, here is her at 10 months...

And here is 11 months...

And here she is at her first birthday party -

I don't remember when she started pulling up, but it was really early! She is going to be walking soon! 

Here are her stats from her one year check up: 

Weight - 19lb 17oz

Height - 29.75 inches

Head circumference - 17.25 inches

At the appointment the doctor called her sassy. And he nailed it. If you pick her up when she is trying to do something or take something away, she will scream! She has an expression for all occasions. If you ask her a question, she usually shakes her head no. She can also dance and wave. 

She LOVES her sister Avery and is always watching her! 

Arden Grape Cupcake has brought so much fun to our life!! 

Arden 9 Months

Arden Grace is 9 months old!

Here are her stats: 

Weight: 17lb 6oz

Height: 27.75 inches

Head circumference: 17 inches 

All of the pictures are blurry because she would NOT stop moving! 

She has decided she is afraid of strangers and holds on to me with all she's got if we get near another person. The only person she will leave me for is her Daddy, and she is happy to do so. She actually won't let me take her back if he has her. And if I'm holding her and she sees him, she'll fuss until he gets her.

When I drop her off for things (like church) it's really sad because she grabs on to me and cries, but it only lasts about 10 seconds and the teachers tell me she has a blast. 

She is on the move. Army crawl or whatever you call it, she gets where she is going super fast. She also grabs anything in her path. There have been more times than I want to mention that we have caught her chewing on the dog bone or a shoe. She also LOVES the cat and grabs chunks of her fur. 

The girl still loves to eat. I am having trouble because she wants to eat food and not her bottle. I think she would never stop eating if I didn't take her food away. 

She had her first swim a few weeks ago... 

I celebrated my first birthday with BOTH of my girls - 

And they're now big enough to take a bath together! 

Arden also laughs randomly. It's pretty funny. She really is the cutest thing. I told her she has to stay my little baby forever. 

New Privacy Setting

So I got creeped out by some articles some friends posted about online privacy. I locked down my Facebook - changed my cover photo to scenery instead of the girls since it's public and deleted everyone I don't really "know." Maybe I'm overreacting? I don't know. But then I realized I'm doing all this to my Facebook, but I really have the most information about my family, etc. on my blog and that is open to the public. So anyway I am changing my blog so only the people who I put their email on the list can view it. If you subscribe to my blog, you should automatically be on the list. If you're unsure or want to make sure you are added to the list, just shoot me an email or leave a comment. I'll be changing it in the next day.
Thanks! :)

Arden 8 Months

Arden turned 8 months on May 26. I took her to the doctor recently and she is still about 18 pounds. It's been a tough month. She was such an easy baby, but I guess she is teething and has turned so so fussy. I remember it being hard with Avery but I would take her on walks or run errands whenever I needed to, but having a toddler in the mix makes that harder. Avery hates running errands and it's stressful taking both of them. Then Avery gets jealous that I'm holding Arden all the time. Having two is just hard! I still don't see how people do three...or more! 

Here are some pictures from her photo shoot. I finally wisened up and put the sticker on the chair. Why did I not have that idea before??

She had to be on breathing treatments AGAIN :( Avery came home with tonsillitis so I'm pretty sure she caught something too. I am looking forward to Avery being out of preschool this summer so maybe it will cut down on sickness a little.  Poor babe. 

Nana got a new toy in Wichita Falls and Arden had a blast with it.... 

And she took her first trip to P3...

Here's a little shot of our family. I think this is the first picture we've all taken together since Christmas. AND we're all looking! It's a miracle! 

If you live in Texas, you know firsthand that it has rained....and rained...and rained. I sort of like rainy weather, and we needed it, but after a while it depressed me! Plus it was hard being cooped up in the house for so long. So the first day it was sunny, we got OUT OF THE HOUSE! It rained that afternoon, but we took advantage that morning. 

This girl loves her walks just like her sister used to - 

Arden 7 Months

Arden turned 7 months old!

I can't believe how big she is getting. I feel like in my mind, she's stuck at 6 months. That's usually how old I tell people she is on accident. Also these month stickers were a waste of money! She always has her hands over it or tries to eat it!

She's doing great on her food. I really haven't found a food she doesn't like yet. 

I am scared to write this because I feel like when I do, she starts waking up, but she has started sleeping through the night consistently. She takes 2-3 naps a day (still in the swing - I know!). Every time I planned to move her something happened like we were going to Wichita Falls, or Rustin and I were going out of town, and I didn't want to transition her then. I will soon! She sleeps in her crib at night though (in her zippadee zip).

She can sit up on her own and loves it! She will grab anything within a six foot radius. I call her my wild woman. She kicks like crazy, and has quite the temper. If she's playing with something she shouldn't and I have to take it away, she throws a huge fit. She definitely lets you know when she doesn't like something.

I can tell we're going to have issues with sharing. Any time Arden gets any toy, Avery all of a sudden wants it. Luckily Arden doesn't care right now, but I am not looking forward to refereeing them when they get older.

Arden loves going places with us. This is us at Gloria's.

My little cutie - 

This is her with her cousin, Aidan. we put them on the blanket together to get a picture, but I had to protect Aidan because she immediately rolled on her side and tried to grab him. Her hands are dangerous! 

This is what dinner time looks like. Craziness. 

Arden 6 Months

How is she already a half year old?? I guess since she's my last I am emotional about everything with her - when she grows out of something or gets big enough for something or any milestone - I am a blubbering mess! I told her she has to stay my little baby forever but she's not obeying.

Here are her stats -
Weight: 15lbs 8oz

Length: 26 inches

Head Circumference: 16.5 inches

They said she is proportional and middle of the road on all of her measurements.

She started eating solid foods. I know I said a long time ago she started but I read a bunch of stuff saying to wait until 6 months, and I remembered I waited that long with Avery so I held off. But she is still an eater!

Another big thing - she stopped nursing. She got SUPER constipated - like for DAYS! I was about to have to take her to the doctor. I'm sure her tummy was hurting and she wouldn't nurse but she would devour a bottle. At first I felt liberated because it was getting REALLY hard to nurse her. She is super distractable and would only nurse if we were in her room, door shut, totally quiet. Of course that is hard to do with Avery around and us also not being at home at all times.

It was also hard because they digest breast milk so much faster so she was still waking up twice at night, which left me exhausted. My feelings of liberations soon turned to sadness. I was finished nursing my last baby. And I loved that bonding time with her. After she stopped being constipated I tried for several days to get her to nurse again and she just wouldn't do it. So now I am pumping and doing formula so she is about 50/50 breastmilk and formula.

Her and Avery are still best buds. She loves looking and laughing at Avery. 

She seriously grabs EVERYTHING and immediately puts it in her mouth. Her hands are pretty dangerous. Several times she has grabbed my face, nose and chunks of hair. 

Since starting her on formula she is only waking up once at night now. Most days she takes a nap at 9am, between 12 and 1, then sometimes a cat nap at 3:30-4. Of course there are still many days when she decides to take 30 minute naps and she has to take them more often. Those days are hard because I feel like I have no break since at least one kid is awake at all times. But I am starting to have days where they are both taking their afternoon nap at the same time and I might have 30 minutes to myself and it's amazing. 

I was obsessed with Arden when she was born and still am now!