We Have A Walker

Right after Eliza turned 13 months, she started taking a couple steps here and there. Going from chair to chair or coffee table to chair. I had guesstimated that she would start walking full force when she was 14 months but she obviously wanted to prove me wrong.

February 21st, not even 13 1/2 months old she decided to get up and walk across the room. The second time she walked a long distance, I caught it on video.

In the video Eliza was walking towards Z and I. The cutest part that wasn't caught on video, because Z decided to stop it, was Eliza lunging into Z to give her a big hug. It was so sweet!

Since this video, Eliza continues to practice her walking across the room every day but crawling is still her main form of transportation.

Happy Valentine's Day

Rise and Shine It's Donut Time

We celebrated Eliza's first birthday, a week after she turned one, with a donut brunch. It was a good thing we did, considering she spent her actual birthday at the doctor's office. Just a cold, that I feel like she has had 20 times this winter. But enough about the boring stuff. Let's talk about this fabulous party she had.

 

In this first picture, Z is giving Eliza a little pep talk about all the attention she is about to get. Really Z is trying to butter her up so she can open all Eliza's presents for her. Which Z successfully did.

 

 

 

This sweet little girl was so happy, just waking up from her morning nap just in time for the party.

 

 

 

Check out these adorable donut leggings Eliza wore.

 

 

 

Decorations done by yours truly. I'm only tooting my own horn because I got no sleep the night before getting ready for this first birthday party that Eliza won't even remember ; )

 

 

Dessert table with miniature donut birthday cake. Cookies made by me, from scratch. I think that's why people were hesitant to eat them.

 

More decorations...





 

included a sprinkled E, confetti balloons

 

 

and a banner with a donut for the O. All these things made by me. If you couldn't tell already, this was very much a DIY party or some may call it a Pinterest party.

 

 

Goody bags for the kids filled with fake plush donuts, a miniature donut truck that rolls and donut suckers.

 

There was also a coloring table for kids with, of course, donut coloring sheets.

 

 

Here is a close up of a banner I did with Eliza's one month to twelve month pictures.

 

 

Then it was time (meaning half time of the football game) to sing Happy Birthday and let Eliza enjoy her first donut ever. Boy, did she enjoy it.

 

 

 

A little ATTEMPT at a family photo, minus Z. I wasn't even trying to get Z in the picture after she had, at this point, helped herself to 3 donuts (just the top part - the frosting).

 

 

Eliza showing her Daddy some love with some slobbery, sugary kisses.

 

 

There we go! We finally got a good picture.

 

 

Z was suppose to be helping clean up but somebody must of had too much fun at the party or it was probably just a sugar crash.

 

 

And that's the end of Eliza's first birthday festivities.

We will end on a cute note with a picture of the birthday girl.

 

The Big ONE

I am not going to sit here and tell you how much I can't believe Eliza is already 1. Instead I am going to hold back the tears and embrace it. Because we all know that you get better with age, right? Well this little cutie pie does.

Poor thing has been so sick fighting off a cold but she still put on a smile and dealt with my Pinterest attempt photo shoot. 

Eliza is such a joy. That's the only way I can describe her. Yes of course she can be a little firecracker (it's the red hair, is what I tell myself) when she wants something or isn't happy, but most of the time she loves to smile, laugh and mostly be loved. She is getting in her fourth tooth on the bottom. Those top teeth just don't want to come in. She still loves to eat pretty much anything you put in front of her. Her favorite foods are peas, carrots, green beans, chicken and any kind of fruit. But her favorite thing in the whole wide world is her wubanub and pacifiers. The more she has the better. She likes to keep at least two at all times. One in her mouth and one in her hand. I guess, for backup. Smart girl! 

She is pulling up on everything now, even my legs, and starting to walk around furniture. She also crawled up one step yesterday. This I am not looking forward to. She loves to dance to music and clap her hands. She says mama, dada, hi and bye. She also loves to wave hi and bye, mostly to herself. She is starting to pick up the sign language I have been practicing with her. She signs all done and more. She loves to play with her toys. She can sit and play by herself for so long. But mostly she loves to play with what her sister is playing with. And so it begins, the fighting over things and wanting what the other one has. I better get use to sounding like a broken record because that is not going to end any time soon.

I was finally able to get a picture of the twelve month sticker but with a serious face.

I'll take this smile any day. It melts my heart.

I did not take in to account the static electricity of the balloons. Her hair is already crazy enough, it does not need any help.

Pinterest fail!

Yes, most days, at the end of the day, I want a glass of wine because it has been so crazy with my two kiddos. We knew having them so close in age would have it's challenges but I wouldn't change it for anything in the world. Eliza came in to our lives right when she was suppose to and has been making it better since. Happy Birthday my sweet little (firecracker) Eliza! You make Mama more happier and loved than I ever could be. 

Happy New New!

It was such an exciting, fun filled, slam packed, exhausting, hilarious, loving 2015 filled with the birth of our second baby girl, many trips including Hawaii, Chicago, New Orleans, Mississippi, Michigan and all the small stops in between. I am so looking forward to starting 2016 off by celebrating Eliza's first birthday and a trip back to New Orleans/Mississippi. Then we will see what else 2016 has in store for us. I am sure it will be a roller coaster and I am ready for the ride. I hope ; )

Happy New Year from Us or as Z likes to say...

Ho Ho Ho

Merry Christmas!

Santa pics were priceless this year. Not to sound like a horrible mom, but just as I hoped they would be. When the kids are scared of Santa, those are always the best pics. Poor Z was terrified of the jolly ole man and Eliza has just started feeding off of Z.

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve was spent baking cookies and James making a lot of delicious food of course.

After the girls went to bed I had way too much fun putting together Z's dollhouse while James put together the bike and the table and chairs.

Everything was put together, wrapped and ready for the girls to wake up in the morning.

Christmas Day

Here is a video of the girls first coming downstairs and seeing all their gifts.

This was the first year Z really enjoyed opening presents. Z didn't give anyone time to open their own presents before she was helping them do it. Her daddy taught her some sound effects to go along with her mad unwrapping skills.

Thanks to Z, Eliza didn't get to open any of her gifts or be the first one to play with her toys. But she didn't mind because this is what she enjoyed most about Christmas. Tissue Paper!

Christmas dinner was spent at Brandon and Rita's house opening presents, eating lamb lollipops and consuming alcoholic beverages. Z came home with a fish and a American Girl doll. What a lucky girl. 

This is what happens when I ask the girls if I can get a picture of them.

I would say Eliza's first Christmas was a success. Until next year ... I am sure it will be even crazier.

Almost There

11 months! It is absolutely insane to me that Eliza is almost a year old. I know every mother says it and I said the same thing with Z but the second child has really shown me how fast time can fly. I really have to stop sometimes and tell myself to enjoy the moment because they don't last long.

The moments I do stop and enjoy Eliza is showing me all the new things she is doing every day. She is clapping her hands, dancing to music, and her newest is pulling herself up to standing, which she did for the first time the exact day she turned 11 months.

Can you tell how excited Z is that her sister is standing? : )

Eliza finally got her third tooth right beside the other two on the bottom. With those three teeth, she still loves to eat anything you put in front of her, moaning and enjoying every bite of it. The girl really loves food.

Eliza has so much to say. Wish I knew what she was saying. 

She has also discovered her lungs. Screaming happens mainly when she wants something and when we are in public, of course. Since Eliza is screaming, Z takes it upon herself now to scream as well. Can I say, "I have a CRAZY life and of course I love it (most of the time)."

Here are the many faces of Eliza:

Oh those eyebrows crack me up.