Sensory Activities

Since we haven't been doing ECFE classes and gymnastics this spring I've been trying to let Amelia do sensory activities or projects.  Pinterest has been great for finding activities and I usually have everything needed lying around the house.  

 Here was shaving cream mixed with cornstarch.
 

Next we tried colored vinegar in baking soda.
 

This was her favorite because it made bubbles.  

Yesterday's project was flour mixed with baby oil.  After the first few projects I decided I better make mats for the table and floor for easier cleanup.  

Unfortunately for me I only had time to make one for the table.  Five minutes after this picture there wasn't anything left on the table, it ended up all on the floor.  

Valentines Party

We had a Valentines celebration with Amelia's friends.  Here are all of the toddlers enjoying cupcakes.

And here are all of the babies.  Evelyn, Harper, Evan, and Bennett all born within eleven days of each other.  Poor Evelyn is the only girl of the baby group.  At least all of the toddlers are girls so she won't be completely surrounded by boys.

My Best Helper

One of the first normal postpartum activities that I did was to cook.  In an effort to spend some special time with Amelia I had her come help me.  Now it is pretty rare for me to go into the kitchen without her thinking she needs to help.  Luckily for me Sissy made a few little girl apron a couple of years ago and she was so kind to let us take one.  I love it that Amelia wants to help out and she is learning her way around the kitchen.  

Family

We are a family who loves to snuggle! 

Mommy's Girls, Daddy's Squirrels

Give Pup pup a kiss Evelyn

I can't remember if I've mentioned the story of how I told Amelia we were Daddy's Girls and she said Daddy's Squirrels.  It took her at least a week to finally say girls instead of squirrels but it was so funny that we are still calling them daddy's squirrels.

Amelia still adores her sister and loves to share toys with her.

I've also caught Amelia playing the games with Evelyn that I play with her as if Evelyn is a big kid ready to play.  Here Amelia was giving Evelyn tea.  I think Amelia will really enjoy having a playmate when Evelyn is old enough.

Amelia also likes to mother Evelyn.  Helping with bath time is a favorite.  When Evelyn is crying she will say, "shhh, it's ok baby sister.  Don't cry."

 It's so much fun to have two squirrels!

February

Here are some random pictures from Evelyn's first few weeks.  

 How we spent most of February.

 Getting ready for her very first outing.

Amelia saying, "Peace be with you baby sister."

 Cousins

 Happy Grandma - she loves the dark hair!

Snuggling Uncle TB

Baby Shower

My friend Caroline gave me a baby shower way back in January.  The presents were meals instead of baby things.  That was the best thing ever!  It was so nice to have meals ready to go in the freezer.  

We had the shower at Panera.  Here is Amelia with her two favorite things, Sissy (or Grandma) and a smoothie.  She has become obsessed with smoothies and requests them all of the time.  Since I don't put any sweetener in them I'm happy to accommodate her.  She was also really into the frog bracelet for a few weeks.  It's one of those slap bracelets with a stuffed frog on it and came from the Target dollar spot.  I think that is the strangest thing I have purchased in my life thus far.  

 My grandma and I together.  Pictures with my grandma don't happen very often so this is treasured.

Still Around

Amelia trying to find her toy balls

We're still around.  I've actually had a rough last couple of months.  Shortly after Evelyn was born I discovered we had thrush.  While trying to treat for that I got a plugged duct that resulted in a night with fever.  The next week I got the stomach flu.  The next week I got mastitis which I initially thought was the flu again so I didn't treat it as mastitis right away.  So of course the following week the mastitis came back.  I finally got myself on an antibiotic while hoping it didn't promote the thrush to return.  So far this week I'm feeling pretty good and the thrush hasn't returned.  Hopefully this is the end of my sicknesses because I seriously can't handle another week laying around in bed with a fever.

I also went to the chiropractor since my back was killing me from laying around so much.  Evelyn came with me and the next day I brought her back for her own appointment.  She has been a fussier baby and it had been getting worse as the weeks went by.  It was amazing how different she's been after her appointment.

She's been a much happier baby.  She used to not let me put her down without crying after 3 minutes.  Now she'll even coo and talk when I put her down and I can easily get half an hour before she cries.  She also used to cry for every car ride.  No matter how tired she was she would never sleep in the car seat.  Not only has she fallen asleep she has even been happy in the car.

So hopefully we are over these difficult times and moving on.  It definitely helps my spirit to have her happier and more content.