Numbers for my children...

For my children to someday appreciate---

2,920--the number of diapers used in our house just this year.

5,475--the number (conservatively) of diapers I will have changed between the 2 of you by the end of the year. (counted from Jaxon's birth)

2,190--the number of bottles made, delivered and washed between you both

3 days--the amount of time a container of formula lasts. which means...

122--cans of formula consumed by Little Miss in a year. And...

$2,798--the cost of a year of formula (Thank GOD for insurance!!)

1,095--meals made, delivered and cleaned up from in a year.

5-- loads of laundry done this week...mind you it's only Thursday!

10-- appx number of times I wipe a dirty face clean--every. single. day.

10--the number of times said washing of face= crying.

9--times I've heard the same toy play the same song...Today.

3--number of time you 2 have cracked each other up in our day so far.

3--snuggles enjoyed before naps.

5--Please and Thank you's from Jax-man.

2-- "Hi Sister...how are you doing??"

1--I love you Mommies today.

So...I started this day out in a pretty terrible mood. I was tired. Didn't want to wake up. Didn't want to change diapers again, make bottles again, didn't want to add to my numbers...blah blah blah. But the first words out of Jax' mouth this morning were "Hi Sister...how are you doing?" and as you continued your conversation through the slats of the crib and eventually dissolved into laughter, the switch flipped. For all of the days where I feel heavy from the responsibility of parenting 2, overwhelmed by challenge and shear size of the "job", for the days when I just-don't-want-to...you give me moments like this. Moments where you find such joy and love in each other (or me and daddy) that I can not imagine my life to be anything else BUT your dirty faces, bottles, diapers and laundry. And so all of those other numbers will never be bigger than the ONE moment where you show me (again and again) that I am right where I am supposed to be. With you.

7 months and counting

You read that correctly. Miss Camren is now officially more than half a year old. And no matter how many times I ever said that Jax was an active child or that he kept me on my toes...it doesn't even begin to compare to Camren! She is literally ALL GO...ALL the Time! She continues to move, hop, and inch her way around the house. The wood floors are no longer a deterrent. Especially when she realized that the Jack Pot of toys resides on the other side of the couches--the Train Table. If we aren't keeping a close eye on her, Camren makes a beeline for that train table and finds trouble every time(the latest was crawling under it and getting stuck)!

Crawling just wasn't enough for Little's and she's added "Pulling-up-on-random-unsteady-pieces of furniture" to her list of Things to do to Make Mommy Gasp! She doesn't seem to have any concept of fear or realize that her body hasn't yet learned to____(fill in the blank-walk, cruise, jump unassisted) and seems to be genuinely surprised when things don't work out as she'd planned! (like falling on her face instead of taking off running after Jax)

Favorite past times include playing with this toy-a Fisher Price Sing Along Stage. She loves it. Loves the songs, the lights, the buttons and mostly...the Mirror! We also have a music table that can hold her attention for a few minutes. But really--she just wants to play with whatever Jax is playing with...tools? Cool...let me have one! Trucks?? I love trucks! Shoes??? Gimme those shoes! Lol...it truly doesn't matter what IT is. If Jax has it. She wants it! I foresee a power struggle in my future. (or 2 or 3...)

As I said in my "all about Little's" blog...the best thing about Camren is...well. Everything. She has an amazing personality that exudes happiness and curiosity; openness and joy. While pregnant with Cam I often wished for an easy going baby...but I got better than that--I got one who's ready to rock! Little's takes everything life throws at her with a big ole cheesy smile followed with a giggle. I can't wait to see what she's able to accomplish with an attitude like hers!

My Musician

Those of you who were at Jax' 2nd birthday party will remember just how much he loves a guitar. Since he received his guitar, the boy has played it for varying lengths of time every day and only recently added lyrics. This is the first time that we've been able to catch his spontaneous performances on video. For this show, Camren was his muse and he took great pride in finishing his song so she and I could cheer! This is just a short piece out of the 7 minutes we caught! And that was after he'd been On for a few minutes!

***edited to add---as I published this he picked up his guitar to play/sing along with the Handy Manny theme song! Adorable.

All about Little's...

Our beloved boy has taken the spot light in the past few posts...so I thought I would round off today with a post dedicated entirely to Our Girl!!

The weather has been so nice for the past weeks that I have been able to get Camren out in the yard. She Loves the grass and on this day I set up a little water play for her. She got a great kick out of splashing and banging the plastic containers together. That is until....

she realized that she could tip the entire bowl over and That was way more fun!! I probably filled this bowl up half a dozen times.

Cam's also gotten her first go-round in the backyard swing. No surprise that she loves it. Really...she is such an open kid. There isn't anything that she doesn't enjoy...with the exception of green foods.

She's also found her new BFF lives just outside her bedroom door. Camren sat happily talking and kissing that baby in the mirror for 30 min!

Miss I-can- do-it-too has also decided that ME feeding her isn't good enough anymore...she wants to do it all her self! So far she has fed herself banana, mango, avocado and this night was sweet potatoes. I've also been able to find other finger snacks (like puffs and freeze dried apples) that don't contain any milk or soy!

So there's just a little glimpse of the girl. Look for a more detailed update in a couple of days when she turns 7 months old! *insert the sound of my heart breaking*

Ollie's Easter

One of the perks of being a Firefighting family is that we have odd hours of operation. You work M-F and have weekends/holidays off? We (yes WE...I work too) work odd days but generally have those mid-week days off and are sometimes lucky enough to score a holiday off. This has not been our year when it comes to holidays...so it shouldn't surprise anyone that Justin had to work this Easter. I didn't make any big celebration plans for the kids and I (and was feeling quiet guilty about the lack of Easter Bunny-ness at our house). So while we didn't have the big ham and deviled egg dinner spread (we opted for pizza and a playdate) Jax did get to try his hand at the egg hunt at his buddy Ollie's birthday party the day previous.

Justin had to help Jax get the idea (find the eggs and LOOK they have candy!! woo hoo) but once he got it--watch out!! The child was a egg hunt focused maniac! Some of the eggs were duds, but my clever son wasn't tricked more than once...he took to finding an egg and shaking it hear the desired candy rattle before placing it into his basket. Non-rattling eggs were promptly tossed back to the ground!

He and his BGGF (best girl-gendered friend) Taylor-or Tayer- sat together and shared each other's loot!

Which worked out perfectly...she only likes chocolate and he eats everything! ;-)

Camren and her buddies had their own play time while the mobile kids ran around. Brooklynn (in the pink shirt) and Cam have an on going battle...it's a race to see who can grab the other's face and plant a very open mouth, very slobbery "kiss" on the other. Generally Brooklynn-who's 2 mo older-wins...but this day Cam struck first!

Brooklynn (who is Taylor's little sis) gets her retaliation.

And while it was a fun day and a great celebration is was decided that Next year NO MATTER what...the Easter Bunny will be finding Jax and Camren...where ever they will be! Hope you all had a Happy Easter!

Bring On the Produce!!

This year Justin and I have decided that it's high time we put our humongeous backyard to good use. So among other (ok...Many other) projects, a garden has been at the top of the list. A couple of trips to Lowe's and a few days of digging for Daddy and I have the three big planter beds that I've been wanting! Jax had a blast helping Dad "dig dig dig" (and yes he has to say it 3 times!) So far we have planted; zucchini, cucumber, red/yellow/green bell peppers, jalapeno, tomato, cilantro, watermelon, cantaloupe and strawberries! I am hoping to add 2 blueberry bushes as well as lemon and lime trees soon! Now for the rest of the yard...

helping Dad even out the topsoil

watering our new little plants

Spring Break

Over Spring break Jax and Camren's Meemaw (my mom) decided that it was high time to get out of the valley and head to the beach for some better-well better everything-but specifically scenery, air and SAND! ;-) Poor Justin had to work 3 of the days that we were gone but that didn't stop me from loading up the kiddos and the car and hitting the road!

Camren (again so unlike her brother) LOVED the sand. She loves it in her toes, in her hands and especially in her mouth!

Jax had a great time playing and running on the beach with B and Tia...but take note of his foot wear. He refused to be in the sand barefoot until the end of the trip.

The house we rented was close enough to the Monterey Bay Aquarium to make it worth a day trip. The Aquarium is one of my favorite places on earth so I was really stoked when BOTH kids loved it! Jax had a great time at the Penguins and Otters and Little's loved any tank that had fish.

He really loved the Penguins! ;-)

Camren wanted those dang fish! She would jump and flap and screech and lunge with all her might trying to get a mouth on a fish...crazy determined girl.

During Sister's nap time B and I decided a trip to Santa Cruz is never complete with out a visit to the Boardwalk arcade.

lol...our first cheesey self portrait. Jax was so excited to SEE our picture after I took it.

Playing air hockey on a Jax-sized air hockey table with B.

It was a great trip. The kids enjoyed the change of pace-as did I. We loved this location and had such a great experience that another trip was planned-this time with Gramz! I know I am looking forward to Memorial Day weekend when we can "party" with our cousin Wyatt! And you can believe there'll be a blog update on that! ;-)