Babies and Mayhem

I feel blessed to have been asked by the Ramirez Family to hang out with Kiera while Alyssa and James went to the hospital to have their new baby girl.

When Alyssa felt the time had come at an early hour of 6am, she had her neighbor, Alicia, come over until I was able to trade places.

I brought Alexander with me and the two toddlers had a wonderful day together at the Ramirez home!

We did it all- playroom, arts and crafts, living room, lunch and snacks, outside play.  These toddlers don't slow down!

Murphy even took a break, which I have never seen before!

 

The weather was gorgeous!

The day wasn't free of toddler antics and mayhem...but overall, these two play so well together!

I took Xander home for nap time, while Alicia stepped back in.

That evening, I came back for the night and that is when the real mayhem began.  It has been long enough now that I am ready to talk about it....

I went to bed with a terrible headache that Ibuprofen was not touching (which is weird).  I did not sleep well at all, and woke up with my head still pounding.  Luckily, Kiera had a wonderful night and woke up cheerful.  She asked for a waffle with jelly for breakfast (sure, why not?), and while I was fixing it, I realized I was going to be sick.

I ran to the bathroom, but when you get sick, you just get sick.  I could not believe it.  I had just thrown up all over the bathroom of a family bringing home a brand new baby that day.  What a DISASTER!!!

Thankfully, the neighbor came to the rescue, and thankfully Alyssa is so organized I was immediately able to locate her Lysol spray and Clorox.  Despite feeling totally gross, I managed to clean then bathroom, spray every surface I had touched, and start a load of laundry for all towels and such that I had come into contact with by the time Alicia came over.

I could not be more horrified, and am only able to tell this story because I am now confident no one in the Ramirez family got sick.  I do not know if it was a bug or food poisoning, but I did get sick one more time the next night, and have been fine ever since.

I waited a full week before coming over to meet beautiful Elena.  She is absolutely perfect!!

We also welcomed another perfect baby girl into our lives recently.

On April 24th, Leaha and Jesse introduced baby Stella to the world.

While newborns usually intimidate me, Stella must truly be family because I cannot get enough of having her little body in my arms.

Even Jan got some Stella snuggles.

As much as I am loving these baby girls (and cannot wait to meet baby Goeres any day now!), I am still confident that my family is complete.  We love our Zoey and Potatoes and are thrilled with the family dynamic we have.

Waves with the Wards!

We were so blessed when the Ward family chose to spend their spring break down here with our crazy crew!

Rachel has been one of my very best friends since we met at the University of Georgia.  She stood by my side as I married Daniel, and lovingly accepted that I was unable to stand by her side when she married Tyler (she got married three days before we welcomed Potatoes into the world).  Though we don't get to see each other near as much as we would like, any time together is enjoyed thoroughly!

  

Rachel came with her whole beautiful family, husband Tyler, sons Cohen and baby Beck, and Cohen brought his friend Jett along, too.  Jett is the son of our other college friend, Genesis.  It was great having them come visit!

Though the weather was a bit cold, still, the boys still had fun by the pool

Baby Beck was not a fan of the cold water!

That baby tush!!

The Ward crew was very patient with my crazy work schedule.  Luckily, their Airbnb was steps away from the beautiful gulf.

Potatoes was happy to join in on the beach fun after school.

Love this girl!

What a beautiful baby!  He is the happiest, easiest going little chunk I've ever met.  On this day, Rachel kept saying he was fussy.  I just kept chuckling to myself...his fussy would have been one of Potatoes's better days!

America!

Being at the beach got Xander very interested in our shell drawer.  He enjoyed counting them and sorting them by size and color.  When he had them all arranged, he asked if we could show them to our neighbor, Ms. Jenifer.  It was so sweet!!

Cohen and Jett were set on playing putt-putt, so on their last evening, we all met up at Adventure Zone.  Potatoes carried his own diapers and wipes in his backback from Jan, and rocked his Curious George jacket from Shorna.

Thanks for visiting!  We love you!

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter

He is risen!

Between recovering from being sick and an amazingly busy work schedule, plus running after an amazingly busy toddler, I am a bit late with our Easter post.

Luckily, I was fully present to enjoy a lot of fun Easter festivities!

The minister from our church home moved last year, and we have since struggled to get ourselves to church each week.  Our former minister was charismatic, humorous, and gifted at relating the Word to real life application.  He also married Daniel and me, and baptized Daniel and Potatoes.  We were very sad to see him go.

Easter brought the perfect opportunity for us renewing our participation in church services.  Destin UMC kicked off a beachside service on Okaloosa Island, just steps from where Daniel and I said our vows!  Not only did the minister give a great sermon, but Potatoes also got to hear the word while playing in the sand, rather than playing in a nursery room far from the service.  I think we have found our new church home.

That afternoon, we stopped by the Yacht Club, where we recently became members, and saw the Easter Bunny.  Alexander wanted nothing to do with the bunny, until a yellow lollipop ("bubble pop") got involved, and then he agreed to a high-five.

After a quick showing during nap time, I got to work preparing for Easter supper.  I have been so out of it with being sick, I did not plan at all for Easter supper.  Luckily, the commissary was a near ghost town on Easter Sunday, so I was able to run in and out and get to cookin'!

I was inspired by Heidi to make these deviled chicks

Charis and Ian joined our usual crew of us and Bryan and Ahgo.  Charis brought Potatoes these adorable frog eyes, which he loves making everyone wear.

Always in people's faces...thanks for your patience, Charis!

Easter Bunny bowling

Our Easter started a week earlier and continued all the way up to our grand Easter Sunday


It began with the annual Hunter Easter party, and this year we joined with our sister squadron since, for once, both groups are home for a holiday!

I went early to help set-up.  Alyssa is our kid's party planner, and she knocked this party out of the park, even at 8 months pregnant!






I love these ladies so much

 The weather was perfect!

One of the only kiddos to truly embrace the bunny.  Go, Jack!

Alexander, on the other hand, was not impressed.  He would only come near with me by his side.  So much so, that on Easter morning, when we woke him up and asked if he wanted to see what the Easter bunny left for him, he said "NO! No bunny in MY HOUSE!"

We practiced for the egg hunt in our yard to teach him what to do.  I played the 'sneaky kid' that would be fast and steal the eggs before he could grab them.

He was a pro by the time his school had their hunt...he opened each egg to make sure the loot was worth taking.

I love these two so much!

Mayhem

Also Known As 

Things Potatoes Says

"Tell that guy to stop talking!" talking about Larry at trivia

He calls everyone, "That guy." Very funny, if not the most well mannered.

The other morning he looked at me and said, "I love you, mommy."  My heart melted.  Until he continued... "No.  I love daddy.  I only love daddy.  I no love you, mommy."

Thanks, kid.

Hippos.

He has recently begun to notice differences in boys and girls, resulting in him touching my chest and asking why he doesn't have them.  I have been able to successfully redirect the contact but not the questions.  The funny part?  He calls them "hippos." 

"Look! I have hippos on."

One morning he kept asking for "medicine toes."  Over and over, and I just could not figure out what he meant.  When I asked, "medicine toes?" Yes! He was so happy I finally understood.  Except I totally did not.  He then brought me to the cereal cabinet and said, "YES! Medicine toes in cereal!"  He and Daniel have been eating a lot of Lucky Charms....

Marshmallows!

There's so many more.  I need to start writing them down as soon as he says them, because he always has us laughing!