Year One – Page 5

On the path to civilization

July 1, 2014 by Rebecca Whitehead

Ever since I bought the girls some new suction cup toddler bowls and toddler silverware when they were a year old, we’ve slowly been practicing how to eat like human beings instead of tiny barbarians.

We started out our “big girl learning time” a few times per week…less depending on my level of sanity and patience that day.

Big girl learning time OVER.

Hey, where’d you take my bowl?

Getting the hang of it.

Show off.

Now she’s just taunting me.

Overall, Amelia has been the better student, displaying less hubris than her class clown of a sister.

Like this, mom?

At least she has a good attitude about it.

The past week, we’ve really had a breakthrough and the girls have been eating with spoons and bowls three meals a day–oatmeal and fruit in the morning, yogurt and fruit for a snack in the afternoon, and whatever can be put in a bowl for dinner that day (rice, peas, veggies, etc.)

It’s not perfect, but we’re making progress.

Sometimes, it’s one step forward, and two steps back.

Now onto plates and forks!

Lots of love,

Filed Under: Milestones, Year One

Let them eat cake!

March 26, 2014 by Rebecca Whitehead

After Samantha and Amelia’s disastrous Smash Cake Attempt #1 during their birthday party, we decided to preserve their giant cupcakes (NOT an easy task, considering Jake and I really wanted to eat them), until the next day when the girls were better rested.

Flash-back to the birthday party Cake Smash FAIL:

The next morning, we set up my new photo backdrop on our patio, suited up the girls in their outfits and brought the cupcakes out for one last attempt!

Side-note: Jake made me an awesome DIY photo backdrop using PVC pipe for the frame and some plexiglass to hold down the paper backdrop/protect it from flying cake. The plexiglass also added a little sheen to our photos, which I love! I then found some cute pink polka-dotted seamless paper at Hobby Lobby that we taped to the PVC pipe frame to finish off the photo backdrop.

Here’s Samantha and Amelia shopping with Daddy at Home Depot for the parts to make the photo backdrop on their real birthday. What better way to spend a first birthday? (Note my beloved stroller shouldering the load of the PVC pipe– it’s a multi-purpose stroller, I tell you! Also note the adorable jelly sandals the girls are sporting…when did they get old enough to wear shoes?)

Without further ado, here’s Cake Smash #2:

Ummmm…I was told there was a giant cupcake involved?

Call my agent. This is NOT what I signed up for.

Now THIS is what I’m talkin’ about!

For an unknown reason, Samantha was more interested in the candle than the 30,984 calories worth of pure sugar in front of her.

After a few minutes, Amelia finally figured it out.

BOOM! First, Amelia managed to extract hurl the chocolate cupcake wrapper off the cupcake.

Then, she dove in, head first.

And then she kept going…

And going…

She would stop every few minutes and look up at me, incredulously, as if to ask, “Is it seriously ok that I’m eating this?” Live it up, girl! You won’t be eating this much sugar again until next year’s party!

Meanwhile, dainty Samantha hadn’t touched hers. It was so funny to see the differences in the girls’ personalities come alive. I would have bet money that Samantha would have been the most enthusiastic about her cake since she’s usually more daring/messy, but she really surprised all of us with her careful, hesitant demeanor. Amelia, on the other hand, showed us that she’s definitely all about living life to the fullest. She couldn’t have cared less about the mess!

BEST DAY OF MY LIFE!

You’ve got a little frosting on your face, Amelia.

THIS IS AWESOME.

Thanks, Mom. You’re the best!

This totally makes up for all the times you’ve bathed me, dressed me and diaper changed me when I didn’t want you to!

In typical Samantha fashion, instead of sampling her own cupcake, she decided to steal some of her sister’s.

GIMME GIMME.

Finally, after placing Samantha’s hand in the frosting, she took a taste of her own cupcake. Apparently, it was not up to her standards. I ASKED FOR CREAM CHEESE FROSTING. THIS IS BUTTERCREAM.

Since Amelia isn’t picky, she decided to help Samantha out with hers, while Samantha took the opportunity to check out the furry thing on Amelia’s head.

Let the good times roll.

After a while, Amelia had more fun squishing and throwing the cake than eating it.

Samantha eventually ignored the lack of taste perfection in her cupcake. Way to lower your standards, Samantha!

NO, I AM NOT LETTING MY ONE YEAR OLD LICK FROSTING OFF MY FINGER.

NO, I AM NOT SHOVING CAKE INTO MY ONE YEAR OLD’S MOUTH WHILE SHE CRIES BECAUSE SHE’S HAD ENOUGH.

Tee hee. Look what I did!

NO, SERIOUSLY, BEST DAY OF MY LIFE.

I STILL DON’T LIKE IT, BUT I’M EATING IT ANYWAY.

Even when she’s covered in frosting and cake, Samantha still poses for photos!

And so began my lifelong struggle with sugar cravings.

You’re going to pay for this later, Mom. BWAHAHAHA.

After both cupcakes had been smashed into oblivion, Samantha cuddled with Daddy and told him all about the crazy day she was having. “So then, Mom put down this giant cupcake in front of me and I was like, ‘Who are you and what have you done with Mommy?'”

The aftermath.

One last fist in the cake for good measure.

Ka-POW!

Stayin’ alive!

Grandma and Grandpa held the girls at a distance post-smash.

I hope the girls will one day title this: “Best Parents EVER.”

Uncle Mike, Jake and Aunt Sarah with the girls.

Thanks to Aunt Sarah for capturing some unforgettable memories!

My favorite photo…it encapsulates Amelia’s personality so well!

All in all, Cake Smash Attempt #2 was a success! A special thanks to whoever invented cake smashes…pure genius!

Lots of love,

Filed Under: Milestones, Parties, Year One

Samantha walks!

March 24, 2014 by Rebecca Whitehead

She walks! Oh yeah!

Of course, I have no video or photo evidence of this as it always happens at the spur of the moment, and before I can grab my phone, Samantha has already tumbled to the ground, but let it be put on record that Samantha started walking! Last week, she was taking two steps before tumbling, over the weekend, she made it to four steps, and this morning, I counted seven steps before she crash landed! Way to go, Samantha!

I can tell it’s dawned on Samantha that she’s on the brink of discovering a whole new world of disasters she can get into now that she’s on two feet, and her determination to quickly perfect her newfound skill is intense. She tries to practice every chance she gets…especially when she’s supposed to be napping, which has been wreaking havoc on her nighttime sleep. She’s been so wired having started a new skill that she’s had a really hard time going down for naps and bedtime, and has been getting up several times at night the past weekend. Maybe she’s waking up and practicing walking in her crib, because every time I’ve gone into the nursery to get her when she cries, she’s standing up and is too excited to go back to sleep. Jake and I are very excited for Samantha, but we want our sleep back! Amelia, on the other hand, has completely slept through Samantha’s night wakings, so far, which is amazing considering Samantha’s night shrieking rivals the noise of a monster truck rally (I know this because Jake and I have been to several!)

In other news, Samantha, Amelia and I visited their four-month-old twin friends, Iris and Elizabeth, one last time before they flew back home to Michigan. On Friday, I drove up to the Newport Coast, where Katie, her mom, and her twins were staying on vacation. We got to say hi to Elizabeth and to thank her again for coming to the girls’ birthday party, but Iris was sound asleep while we were there. Katie’s mom stayed at the hotel to watcher her twins while Katie and I went out for a stroll and compared notes on our twins. There’s nothing like talking to a fellow twin mama…they just get it.

Katie holding Amelia, who had defiantly ripped off her placemat, sending bits of food flying.

The girls and I got photobombed by a cherub riding a seahorse.

A better angle.

Samantha begged to practice driving the sweet wheels she spotted by the fountain.

Amelia was super stoked to be riding shot gun!

First walking, now driving. They grow up too fast!

Lots of love,

Filed Under: Milestones, Year One

First Birthday Photos

March 13, 2014 by Rebecca Whitehead

The blog will be on hiatus for the rest of the week so that I can focus on getting everything done for the girls’ first birthday party this weekend! I’m so excited, yet so exhausted…so much to do, so little time. Until I’m back next week with some (hopefully) fun pictures from the party, here are the girls’ first birthday photos to fulfill everyone’s cuteness quotient for the week. You’re welcome.

Thanks to Aunt Sarah for taking some of the pictures/trekking down a hillside/hauling props and balloons! I took some of the pictures as well since Samantha wasn’t cooperating the first day and I had to go back to take the rest later in the week when Sarah had already left back to Utah.

We survived!