What's New?

There have been many, many first's in the past few months and lots of things that are changing but aren't quite first's so I'm going to just document a few!

What's new with Hannah:In the past say, 6 months.

This was taken for Hannah's 2 year pics

This was taken right when Hannah was 2 1/2 years old

• peddling her tricycle
• communication (Hannah's communication skills have improved so much!)
• She now asks me where we are going?, what I'm doing, she's learning manners!!, she is asking for things instead of "demanding" them, she remembers what places are like church, school, store, who's house we are at, who's car is who's, she (pretends) to read her stories
• Hannah has trimmed down so much in the past 6 months, her jaw line is really starting to show and my sweet girl is looking less and less like the baby she "appeared" to be just 6 months ago! She looks closer to a little girl than even a toddler!  (If you're a mom then you probably understand what I mean by that)
• She still has her "terrible two's" moments but they are really coming less and less
• She is really maturing and her reasoning is really starting to develop 
• Hannah actually noticably stops in her tracks when she realizes she is about to do something she isn't supposed to be and then turns around after contemplating it for a few seconds and does something else!
• Hannah is in go-go-go mode constantly!  She is so busy and when I'm home with the girls and we don't have much planned I start racking my brain for activities we can get into so she isn't idle.  
• If she is idle for even 10 minutes she starts getting into trouble or messing around with things she knows she isn't supposed to and all reasoning (what we spoke about in previous bullet) goes out the door! 
• Hannah is an intelligent little booger!  I'm not just being bias... She really is!  She knows when I am indisposed at the moment (like if I'm feeding sissy, pumping, taking a shower) and can't immediately can't get to her, before she starts messing with things she KNOWS she's shouldn't be.  EX: I'll be in the shower and here walks in Hannah (so innocently) asking me what I am doing (isn't it obvious?) and then she starts digging through my "hair" drawer, grabs one of my hair products and starts to unscrew the lid.... The entire time I'm saying "Hannah, No!, Hannah, No!, Hannah Grace, I SAID NO!" Then I proceed to threaten her with time-out and spankings, and if that doesn't work then I tell her (a last resort lie) "if you mess with that it will make you very, very sick!"  Finally, something has worked... She looks up at me and repeats "It will make me berry berry sick?" Yes! It worked she puts it up and I rush to finish up my shower so she or Olivia don't completely tear the house apart!    
• Hannah and Olivia has recently started getting bath's together (It is SO much easier if I can bathe them at the same time!).  It keeps OK occupied for a little bit and Hannah busy being a (mommy) to OK.  
• I can now ask Hannah to run and get me something and she does it! Woo Hoo for a little extra help!! 
• For example I'll ask her to go grab me a diaper and a wipe for sissy.  Hannah may grab a diaper like she's asked but she'll probably grab about 10 wipes and one for herself.  I can hardly complain she's helping me out so much! 
• Hannah's love for music continues to grow and her love for books do as well! That personally makes my heart swell! I've always had a love for both and I'd be so happy if that carried on to her!
• Recently Hannah started horse ridding lessons!!! With that 10 second attention span she has I was a little worried that she'd get impatient and want off, but surprisingly she wanted off after 10 minutes not 10 seconds!  I refused to be there the 1st few lessons because it makes me so nervous, which is silly because I grew up around horses, I love them, and I had a connection with them that can't be explained.  I can only hope that my girls have that same love for animals especially horses that I do/did!  She was asleep before lunch time.  Her instructor a dear friend of my family was SO good with her and completely exhausted her! She rode, led, brushed, and just sat on the horse the entire hour.  Along with touring his yard which is full of horses, donkey's, and dogs!  
• Hannah's new favorite show is BARNEY!  We watch it so much that his annoying little laugh is driving me insane!! Hannah loves him so much that we I park the car she tells me that she'll stay in there so she can watch it.  Hannah will actually sit in the same spot for almost the entire movie because she is entranced by it! 

• Hannah's new favorite book is called Vera's Baby Sister.  It is totally a cute book and I may or may not change the names to Hannah and Olivia while I'm reading it.  She wants me (or daddy) to read it to her every night before bedtime. 

 What's new with Olivia!

This was taken 6 months ago

• Olivia started sitting up around 5 1/2 to 6 months old.
• She is now 8 1/2 months old and crawling ALL over the place!
• About a week after she started crawling she started pulling up.  Now she's making an attempt to pull up on everything she can get her fingers around.  
• She is now eating 2 jars of baby food a day (sometimes they are not the entire jar but at least half)
• She's drinking (chewing) out of a sippy cup.
• She is not as independent as Hannah was/is.  She has to be in the same room as you are 24/7.  She will not have it if you set her down and walk out for even 2 seconds.  
• OK is constantly intrigued by things that she's also not supposed to be intrigued by.  Meaning, whatever Hannah is playing with OK wants to play with it too.  Thousands of toys can be scattered all over the floor and she finds the nearest cord and messes with it.  

• She is straight up momma's girl!! I.LOVE.IT! Right now anyway ;) 

Olivia Kate at 8 1/2 months

• I give her snacks to keep her busy while I'm cooking or cleaning or just need a break.  I give her snacks like: Baby Mum Mums, those little Gerber pin wheel thingy's (I can't think of their real name), Puffs, and tiny pieces of these organic bars called Grammy Sammy's.  Textures still get to her a bit.  It's usually a losing battle for me when I feed her jar food.  And you can forget the textured jar food.  She flat out refuses that.  I just keep telling myself consistency will win out in the end but the girl is already PICKY!!!!   

•  Olivia's personality is really evolving and she is becoming more and more her own person. 
• Olivia will make sure you know when she is hungry and she'll make sure you know when she's done or doesn't like something.  
• She already pouts! What?! Does this happen this early? Or is it something she's picked up from Hannah?  I'll never know but she sure is good at it!  
• She like Hannah has the pouty lip perfected!
• Olivia loves other kids/babies she just goes into freak mode when she is confronted with another baby!  She just starts kicking her legs, making all kinds of noises, grabbing, laughing and wants the other child.  It's the funniest thing ever!  She gets so excited and it tickles me to death!  

These are just a few of the things that are new in my girls lives and it would seriously take ALL day to list out everything.  I am enjoying every phase of their lives and take each melt down with a grain of salt because really my girls are good girls and they are sweetie pies!! Maybe I am a bit bias but I LOVE BEING MOM!! Specifically their mommy!!! That's all for now!