Sunday Funday

Went to a friend's house for a great lunch. Love my lazy Sundays with awesome friends. Blessed, blessed, blessed....

Girls Night Out!

I was able to have a girls night out while Shannon was at the LA Kings game with his buddies. Thank you mom for watching the kids while I enjoyed a quite dinner and great girl talk. It might not be blog worthy, but I have document it because this occasion is quite rare.

Addie is 2 Months!

A little late, but Addie Bree is 2 Months Old! I'll say this as every month passes, but I cannot believe it has already been this long. She is already forming a little personality and is getting cuter by the second. Milestones are smiling, cooing, laughing, lots of pooping, and even more eating. She has grown since our last update! She is 10lbs and 20inches! She is in the 15-20 percentile for weight and height. We definitely have a little munchkin on our hands, but as Shakespeare once said, "though she but little, she is fierce." After getting her shots she unloaded a fierce diaper indeed. Thank you so much to our amazing God who makes each day so much more than I deserve with the children he has blessed me with.

Girl & Party Time

A friend of mine had a birthday and I was blessed enough to be able to host a part of it with lunch and pedicures. We went to a nail shop, sipped on champagne and got pedicures and them went over to a bistro to have lunch. It was a much needed girls day for me. Thank you to all the ladies who came to help this day special. Happy Birthday Veronica. 

Blooming Bath

I registered and received the Blooming Bath for a baby shower gift and I have to say as cute as it is, I don't think it will be a necessity for us at bath time. The idea is great and the design is adorable, but I try to make Addie's bath time quick and straightforward. The Blooming Bath allows baby to sit comfortably in a sink, but because I am try not to let her soak for too long, and rather just bathe and dry her  quickly, there is really no point to set up the flower, and worse, dry the darn thing out. It is very comfortable and she enjoys sitting in it, but if y'all are quick bathers like we are, I wouldn't bother with this. For details and specs on the The Blooming Bath go to their website, linked above. Many people rave about it, but after a few weeks, I hear the same thing from other parents... it is a hassle. No complaints on the product functionality besides it takes forever to dry out and gets really heavy when wet. The best way I found to dry it out is to lay it flat in the bath tub, but it will start to stink after two baths from air drying. Once washed, the product comes out just as soft and smelling great, but again, its a haul when it is wet. I've got enough laundry to do so having to bathe a bath isn't on my favorite priority list. Ultimately, I say don't waste the money on this, unless you are okay with the extra maintenance tasks and want baby to lounge during bath time. 

Lately In Our Hood...

Things have been an adjustment with nap schedules and bedtime since we've been home from 29 Palms. I had a great trip but I am glad to be home. I guess the desert really made me miss the ocean because of the first things we did when we got home was head straight to the beach. My mom, twin brothers, Shannon, and the kids and I had lunch at 333 Pacific, a steak and seafood restaurant in town and took a walk on the pier. If you are ever in the Oceanside area, I definitely suggest frequenting this local joint! They have an extensive vodka collection, great food, and a good atmosphere- my biggest suggestion while there, the calamari. It's to die for! Jojo just loved the pier, the people, birds, and surf. I've lived in California my whole life and I don't come to the beach enough. Today, I realized how fortunate I am to live in 75 degree weather all year-round.

Goodbye 29!

Goodbye 29 Palms! We had a great time taking walks, playing at the park and watching the sun set and rise. Jo and I are basking in the morning warmth before we leave tomorrow. We have another long car ride ahead of us, so please pray for our safe travels again. Thank you Lord for the opportunity to be able to travel with my husband while he works. We are grateful that you provide him with the ability to provide for us.

BOB in 29 Palms

I had to bring the BOB with me to 29. Even though it took up a lot of trunk space, I knew the trails would be perfect for it, and vice versa. I found a paved trail here and am mostly staying on that, but I see a lot of dirt running trails around here, but being unfamiliar with the territory I won't runt that way with the kids. From our hotel there are tons of parks in the area, (one even right outside our room), but there is a huge about 3miles away, perfect for a jog/walk. Because it does get hot, real quick out here, I jogged early in the morning and the kids loved it. The jog there Addie slept after her second bottle of the morning and Jo ate a mobile breakfast. We'd hit the park ready to play and Jo wore himself out until lunch time. We would eat lunch at the park, play for a bit more and then it was time to load up and head back to the hotel (where there was a kitchen), to make dinner. A few times Jo fell asleep right after lunch when drinking a bottle. The simplicity of life out here is amazing. I know I said it before, but man, I really am enjoying this time away from home. 

So after having the BOB for a while I noticed I don't like pushing it with the infant seat adapter. I know I am supposed to use it until Addie is 6 months, but I haven't really been on rough terrain yet. I've only ran paved trails, and when I have "off-roaded" with it, Addie wasn't with me. I found a way for her to comfortably sit in the seat while I am walking on a paved trail without using the infant seat adapter. I DO NOT SUGGEST doing this if you are running (even on paved roads), but this quick fix came in handy at the park when Addie wanted to lay down but not be in her car seat. 

I took an infant insert/ headrest that fits in her carseat, and put it in her seat in the BOB, with a receiving blanket rolled up, around it, and she fit snug as a bug. Her head was not moving anywhere! Again, the manual does not condone my behavior, but it worked for me, and if you have an unruly infant who just wants to lay down in the stroller, this might work for you. 

Here is a closer look: 

The specific infant carseat headrest I used wast the Boppy Infant and Toddle Head Support. (Click for pricing and ratings). As you can see she's pretty content. They both stayed like that the whole way back to the hotel. 

So far, so good!

So far, so good! I have to tell you that Shannon going on this trip, and me staying home with these two kids, for two weeks scared my socks right off. I did come to have a change of scenery, but I think a tiny bit more of me, was afraid of being home alone with them for so long... I'm just not ready for it yet. This 2-kid thing is still new to me.... Anyway, we are almost headed from from our mini-vacay. We did have to move hotels, but we are all settled now, and the new hotel room is a little smaller, but it has a playground right outside and free breakfast. We are still on base, and the weather is really warm, but nothing I am not used to. The sunrises and sunsets are amazing out here. I really feel God's wondrous majesty out here. Everything is magnified here; the stars are brighter, the mountains are mighty, and the land stretches on for years. I am in awe of His wonderful masterpieces. With every bad thing there is to say about 29 Palms, I think I  might, (keyword: might), be able to say something positive. My friend's house is so big out here, it is nothing like anything we could afford back home in our city by the beach. Life is a lot slower out here and it was just what I needed to re-center myself on what is important. I was getting so caught up with trying to finish the laundry, mop the floors,  and do the dishes, that my patience was wearing thin with my children and husband. Not having to do those things for the past week and a half has made me realize that, although have a well-run home is important, the time spent with the people you share your home with, is more important. For the first time since having Addie, I had a chance to sit down and play with Jo. I felt horrible thinking that this precious time was foreign to me. I am so thankful I came on this trip with Shannon. The kids aren't sleeping well because they aren't in their own environment, and I am tired beyond belief, but the Lord giving me this wake-up call was so worth it.