all snug in her bed

This morning Vivi took a short nap in her crib for the first time! We haven't been able to lay her flat on her back because of the reflux so she usually sleeps in her swing. Today I thought I'd try to prop her up on a pillow in her crib to see how she handled it. She seemed comfy and fell asleep quickly. I kept a close eye on her and the nap only lasted about 30 minutes, but it's a start! Paul and I worked on organizing and decorating her nursery this weekend, so I've also included a sneak peek of it. We aren't quite finished, but it's finally starting to look like a nice place for our littlest one to sleep and play.

party girls

We had fun at little Carlie's first birthday party last Saturday. This was Vivi's very first birthday party attendance. As usual, she spent most of the time in the car seat, but Emma Jane made a point to check on her from time to time. Surprisingly, Vivian stayed awake the whole time we were there. She even made a short appearance out of the car seat until hunger set in and the wailing began! The big girls enjoyed yummy pizza for lunch and delicious cupcakes to celebrate this special birthday. They then ran around chasing each other with squeals of delight. I didn't manage to get a picture of the sweet birthday girl, but she was a doll! What a wonderful way to spend a Saturday afternoon!

little diva

I did a little mini photo shoot with Vivi while Emma Jane was in school this morning. Most of the pictures I take of her are when she's in the car seat or in the bouncy seat. Due to her reflux, these are the things that keep her propped up so she spends most of her time in them. Don't worry, she gets held an awful lot, too! She seemed to love being in the spotlight during our photo shoot. Although she didn't give me very many of those big smiles that we regularly see from her, she looked so sweet and happy.

bubbles!

Emma Jane is so proud that she can now blow bubbles all by herself. We've been practicing for a long time now, but she just didn't quite get the idea of "gentle blowing". She was so excited about her bubble-blowing skills that she wanted to teach Vivi. As you can see, Vivi was not at all interested, but Emma Jane was so impressed with herself that she didn't even notice her baby sister was sleeping through the tutorial!

puttin' on the pudge

Our little Viv is finally starting to put some meat on those tiny bones. She is now up to a whopping 13 pounds! The reflux has kept her weight gain to a minimum, but she has been growing just the same. We are thrilled to see some pudge in those sweet cheeks!

i love you more than icecream

Emma Jane and I have been playing the "I love you more than..." game for a few weeks now. I started this by telling her that I love her more than ice cream, something SHE likes a lot! Then I would say, "I love you more than toys" or "I love you more than cookies"...you get the point. Well, she got it, too! All on her own, she started asking me, "Do you love me more than chocolate?" or "Do you love me more than coffee?" She knows that these are things that I do, indeed, like an awful lot! Of course, I could whole-heartedly tell her that YES, I DO love her more than those things. Tonight she totally cracked me up by asking, "Do you love me more than cameras?" and "Do you love me more than washing machines?" and "Do you love me more than vacuums?" These are the things that I use on a daily basis and she obviously thinks that I love using them. Of course, I could HONESTLY say that YES, I love her more than those things. Inevitably, she also asked if I loved her more than daddy. I was waiting for this one. I explained to her that I love daddy, Vivi, and her equally. Surprisingly, she accepted this answer without question. She's a smart girl who definitely knows how much she is loved, but she doesn't mind sharing that love with those she loves too!

spring has sprung

We are enjoying this springy weather and spending a lot of time outside!

bumbo!

Look who's sitting up in the bumbo! Vivi gave it a try for the first time this weekend. She sat up pretty well and seemed to like the new view it provided. Not to be outdone, Emma Jane gave it a try, too. She was not a fan of the bumbo when she was Vivi's age, but she seems to think it's pretty cool now! Emma Jane also thought it was fun that Vivi could sit next to her on the floor while she watched one of her favorite shows. Cute sisters!

comfy and cozy

Emma Jane loves her new "big girl bed" and so do we! It's a beautiful sleigh daybed with a trundle for future sleepovers. We weren't sure what she would think about giving up her first bed and dresser, but she was actually excited to see them in Vivi's nursery. As a matter of fact, if she is super tired or upset about something she'll say, "I want to be comfy and cozy in my new big girl bed!" In the new bed there is room for us to snuggle up with her to read bedtime books. It's so comfy that sometimes we wind up snoozing with her for awhile!

ouch!

Emma Jane took her first face plant last weekend. She was doing the "tummy swing" on the swing set in our backyard and the swing slipped out right under her. Poor thing landed face first in the dirt! She sat up screaming with a mouthful of dirt and a pretty good-sized scrape on her forehead. It's so hard to see your child hurt themselves like this, especially when you are standing right there when it happens. But, not to worry, this boo boo was nothing that a few hugs, kisses, and M&M's couldn't cure!