Siblings

I can't imagine what it must be like to be a 2 1/2 year old and all of a sudden have your life turned upside down by having a younger sibling enter into the picture.

Isabella has always been an easy child. She listens well, follows directions, etc. I know this and am reminded frequently how easy we have had it with her by my family. I think they were wishing the devil child on us so we could see how a real two year old behaves and how difficult children can really be. Maybe not the devil child but a difficult or typical one.

I am glad to say, William is not a difficult one yet. He has been pretty easy so far. He is pretty much on a 3 hour feeding schedule and goes longer through the night. Hopefully this will continue and the night will spread out even more over the next month or two.

Isabella has been more difficult since William was born. Whinny, not listening, testing the limits, you know what I mean. But still not bad. Just wearing her tired mommy down on certain days. To her defense, she has had 3 ear infections since he was born (they actually started the day he was born). I had been trying to figure out what the biggest culprit was, ear infection or new sibling. I am sure it was both, but her behavior is better now that she feels better and the ear infection is gone. She asks to hold William even though he is just about as big as she is. (10 pounds 14 ounces as of yesterday). It is very cute. She also gives him butterfly kisses and smiles at him. So , things are on the up swing with her which is a true blessing. I think she really likes her little brother now.

Loving on her little brother

We visited the ENT for our regular appointment last week and as I suspected, they recommended the permanent ear tubes. She will go in Dec 2 to have them inserted. Hopefully that will help with her ear infections and also her hearing.

Oh Christmas Tree

Wearing the tree skirt

I know it is early to be blogging about Christmas, I tell Matt and the guys that every time they mention watching Christmas Vacation before Thanksgiving. No Christmas movies prior to Thanksgiving is my rule. We have to celebrate Thanksgiving even though all the commercialism tells us it is time to think about Christmas the day after Labor Day.

Anyway, Matt was off today for Veteran's Day and able to spend the day with us. After we dropped Isabella off at school we headed over to the stores near the movie theater to look for a small white Christmas tree to put in Isabella's room this year. I saw a small white one last year and have been excited about getting one for her this year. Matt saw one at Kohl's when we were there the other day but we went to Michael's first because they had them on sale. We also got some ornaments (pink and green of course) and then I found a hot pink tree skirt at Hobby Lobby. It will be so cute! I can't wait. So, we will probably put up what we have tonight and continue to decorate it as we go. Isabella was wearing the tree skirt around her neck today like one of those shawls. Too funny.

Working hard on the tree

Isn't it cute?

Look at that cute little face

William is now 4 weeks old. Time sure flies! William enjoyed his swing for the first time today. I am hopeful I will be able to get a little more done around the house since he likes to be held a lot. We will see how it goes.

Pup-cakes

Happy Halloween!

Little Red Riding Hood

How cute it she?

We planned on heading over to Zach and Sarah's house for a low-key Halloween gathering this year since the kids are getting a little older and with the addition of William. I was very excited about it and wanted to make some cute Halloween cupcakes. I found several different ones to try but decided on a cute one from Pillsbury.com. They had gravestones made out of nutter butter cookies and mellow creme pumpkins on them. I like to bake fun things like this but don't often get the chance.

Helping Mommy cook


I love that she sticks her tongue out when she is concentrating.

I figured it would be best to split up the task so I started on Thursday with Isabella as my big helper and made the cupcakes (batter only). Isabella is still substituting the beginning sound in some words for the ending sound. (i.e. pup instead of cup). So cupcakes comes out as pupcakes. Too cute!! We got the batter made and cooked. Matt got home soon after we finished them and was talking to me in the living room. He went back into the kitchen and found Isabella eating the little bit of batter still in the bowl with the scooper. She is such a scavenger! Always wanting to eat the things you don't want her to.

Aren't these cute?

Isabella enjoyed them

On Friday I decorated the cookies for the cupcakes with icing. Isabella of course wanted to eat the cookies. Asking for, "one more cookie?" over and over again. I did give in a few times. The cupcakes turned out very cute!

We also made witches hats using fudge stripe cookies and Hershey's kisses. They were also very cute! I was pleased with the way everything turned out and glad I started on Thursday. William was not as cooperative as I had hoped he would be on Friday needing more attention than he had previously which meant less time to make our goodies.

William before bed.

Isabella dressed up like Little Red Riding Hood. She was too cute! She had her party at school on Thursday. It was a little chaotic with 9 two year olds running around, plus parents. I am assuming this improves as they get older but I could be totally wrong. I finally got to see some of her friends that she talks about and put a face with the name. She has a kid in her class named Bubba and we thought this whole time she had made it up because he wasn't on the list at the beginning of the year.

At her school party