School Days

     Our weekday mornings are so nice and slow, that is until we hit the 11:15 rush to get out the door by 11:30 to get Connor to school. One of Connor's favorite things to do with me lately is play Connect 4. He is getting really good. So usually while Livie is napping, or sometimes before, we play in the playroom. Today was no exception! He actually beat me a few times.

Scrub-A-Dub-Dub, Livie's-In-The-Tub

    Yesterday Olivia had her first bubble bath experience. I got the idea from a friend whose little girl is the exact same age, and knew I needed to try it with Livie since she loves the water. I added her Aveeno body wash to the tub for the bubbles and let her take it all in. She loved it. Take a look at those beautiful blue eyes I got to see staring back at me.

Meet Hammy

    Yesterday was a very exciting day for us, for Connor especially. He renamed January 27 as Hamster Day because it was the day he finally got to pick out his new hamster. Aaron and I decided we would get him one because he has been begging for one since his fish died a few months ago {R.I.P. Blue Rock}. We though it would be good for him and teach him responsibility. We talked to him about it on Wednesday night after dinner, and he was overjoyed. On Thursday I took him to the library and we checked out five books about hamsters and read them over the next few days. While he was in school on Thursday and Friday, I scoped out a few places for us to visit on Saturday. I wanted to have a general idea of what each pet store had so I knew where we needed to get what. We planned on visiting three pet stores before letting him decide on one, but we ended up only going to two because PetSmart had a really good selection and I knew Petco didn't.  Plus he fell in love with Hammy, his new long haired Syrian hamster.

My Smiley Girl

     While Connor was at school today I took a few pictures of Olivia in one of my favorite outfits of hers, and she was so smiley and giggly. I love photographing my babies, especially when they are loving it just as much as I am!  

 I see that smile sweet girl!

Olivia: Five Months Old

My beautiful girl,

    You are F I V E months old today. That means you are one month away from your half birthday, and I don't know how that's possible. You are such a sweet and loving baby. You love when I hold you {what's new?} and enjoy grabbing onto my hair and trying to eat it. My favorite thing you do is when you try to suck on my cheeks. Usually it's when your hungry, but it is just the sweetest. Everyone who has seen you do it thinks its just precious. I love you so much sweet girl and enjoy every day, minute, and second that we share together. 

XOXO,

Mommy

Olivia Lately

   Olivia has had the best start to the year. She has been the only one who has stayed healthy while we were all sick. Must be that good milk I'm giving her! ;) She got to see her first snowflakes on January 2. It was only for a few minutes and they melted before they hit the ground, but hey, it was snow! She has also reached a couple milestones: 1. She can wear hair clips, 2. She has started rolling over from tummy to back! Here are her pictures to summarize the beginning of the year for her.

 1/2/18

Connor Lately

     Connor has had a pretty rough start to the year. He ended it with strep, and started it with strep again! He has also had the flu. There have been a few nice days where he enjoyed playing outside, going on adventure walks, and riding his bike. Since break, he hasn't wanted to go back to school. He cries every morning, and I feel horrible taking him. His teacher has been really understanding and keeps me updated throughout the day. Here are just a few pictures to summarize the first few weeks of 2018 for him.

 1/8/18

2017 CONNNORisms

      If you have read Connor's CONNORisms before, then you know he says some pretty funny and smart things. 2017 was no excpetion. Here is my list of some of the funny things he has said from last year. Hope you get a laugh out of them, I know I do every time I read them!

New Year's Eve

    I can't believe we are already 22 days into 2018! Time is flying by and I am 22 days behind in blogging. I need to get caught up, so today is the day. 

     Our New Years Eve was spent at my parents house surrounded by friends and family. It was perfect, and I probably put on five more pounds because all I did was eat. We played mexican train, played with sparklers, and  enjoyed one anothers company. Once the clock struck midnight, we were pretty much all ready for bed. My how life has changed once you have kids. Haha! Enjoy the pictures below from our day!

2017 was a good year for us!

Italy Besties Reunite

    I know I have said it before, but I will say it again. When you're a military family, and living either overseas, in a new state, or just someplace away from family, the friends you make there become family. That has been the what has happened with our good friends from North Carolina and Italy.

    It had been seven months since we saw our good friends Kelsey and Matt, and a year and a half since we saw our friends Morgan and Levi. We met both of them while living in Italy, and I talk with the girls daily. Our kids consider each other best friends just like we do. Heck, Olivia and Aurora were born just hours apart on the same day! 

     Over the holidays Kelsey and Matt came home to Texas to visit their family, and planned to spend their last night in Texas with us. We were so excited when Morgan and Levi decided to also come and spend a week with us. It couldn't have worked out more perfectly when December 27 came around and the four of them {and their kids} came to our house.

 Rorie and Livie

Santa Came {& It Wasn't On Christmas Eve}

    Like I mentioned in my last post, Santa didn't come to our house until the night of December 26. Somehow he knew we were going to be out of town on Christmas Eve, so he waited until we were home to visit Connor and Olivia. When we arrived at our house the afternoon of the 26th, Connor saw that his elf was waiting under our tree for him with a package and goodbye letter. Inside the package were pajamas for the kids, a plate for Santa's cookies, snacks for our movie night, and The Night Before Christmas to read at bedtime. That evening after the kids took their baths, we had a movie night and then Connor left cookies and milk for Santa and carrots for his reindeer before going to sleep.

Christmas 2017 {Christmas With Mimi}

      We had a very Merry Christmas, and hope you did too! It was a little different because Santa didn't visit us over Christmas Eve, he decided to wait until we got back to our house on December 26. Connor didn't mind because he didn't really know any better. So our traditional making cookies on Christmas Eve was done on Christmas day so we could take them back with us to our house. Confused yet?! Hope not! 

     Since this was Olivia's first Christmas, we had to take a couple pictures in the morning wearing our pajamas. She was so happy! Afterwards we made sugar cookies!