Happy Hoppy Easter

I'm actually blogging the day I take pictures. It's a miracle!

glued to the tube this morning. I don't make a habit of letting
Addison watch TV but it certainly catches her attention!

They got these shirts from Nana, and they just happened to both have pants this color!

 Maya likes to be a dorkus magorkus while I try to take pictures.

Prerty Easter Girl!

Addison got her first Easter home alone with Mommy and Daddy. The other kids were with their others parents ("technically" [verbally agreed upon] we're supposed to get the oldest 3 every Easter, but they don't like being at our house on the "required" once-a-month weekend, anyway, so we didn't push it) and she didn't know the difference, anyway, so the Easter Bunny was off the hook this year!

 Nana got Addison this dress and a similar one for Maya. Be prepared for matchy matchy pics in the future where Addison is in this one again!

 I didn't pose a single one of these other than sitting her on the couch! She just did cute stuff (once I got that initial serious look off her face!)!

 Yes, you're seeing a spot below her nose. This kid catches every cold on the planet (which is why I think the claim that breastmilk protects your child from illness is a load of BS. Maybe it's allergies. But they also say breastfed babies are less likely to get allergies. Whatever). Last weekend she got too raw from the nose wiping and got a scab. :( Poor baby. But she's generally in good spirits unless there's a snot "mustache" as Maya called it this morning! She climbs into Addison's crib with her most mornings (once I give the ok) and it sometimes allows me a few more minutes to rest. This morning I hear "Mom, she has boogers! I saw a bubble! Mom, it's like a mustache!" Needless to say, I got my butt out of bed and cleaned my booger butt's booger face.

Addison got four teeth last month- the two bottom, and the two top ones off to the sides (maxillary lateral incisors, if you wanna get technical!), just like Maya's grew in (see here). I guess I have weird genes since my kids get weird teeth. She is putting them and her gums to good use- she eats anything we put in front of her. Jared is braver than I am about the size of bites she gets, but she generally does really well! We're giving her just about anything to eat, within reason, of course (no major choking hazards, botulism inducing honey, spicy stuff, etc). She hasn't seemed to be bothered at all other than some constipation. If you wonder if prunes work, lemme make it clear for ya: they do!! She is a little piglet when it comes to food- LOVES to eat. Yup, she's definitely my kid. :)

She's still not crawling, but we're making progress. She turns all around when on her belly and is trying to move forward, but her legs are just kicking in the air right now. More than half the time when she's on her back she has no desire to roll over- she just lays there (and kicks sometimes). On her tummy she tries to go places. She'll figure it out eventually then we'll have to put up gates and childproof some more kitchen cupboards!

some March things...

Cousin Damien's birthday party:

Bryson looking all teenagerly

Kavi, Ramie, Brennah, and Cailin and a whoopie cushion. I wish
this wasn't so blurry. I love pictures that capture true smiles.

Addison in one of her outfits from cousin Damien and his parents!
(yes, she wore it on purpose and Aunt Jasmine recognized it!)

 Maya's Little People St. Patrick's Day Parade from Nana

The Sunday we had Stake Conference... I bought this dress at a consignment sale before Addison was born (weecycle, I think). It's homemade and I LOVE IT. The onsie underneath (the long sleeves) was too big so it looked a bit silly, but she's just so cute!

Maya had to join in the photo fun, of course!

a good picture of both of them! it's a miracle!
(too bad Maya is in jammies!)

Monday the 12th. 7 months old!

Addison in an outfit from cousins Cailin, Brennah, and Trevor.
I finally put it on her before she completely outgrew it!

you can see her "toofer!" Her first tooth came in a couple
weeks ago (shortly before this picture)
and she has the other bottom on now, too!

had to add a onsie and tights to make it winter worthy. It's so cute!!

Maya that same day. She's usually wearing jammies.

Once upon a February...

My parents came to visit the beginning of February. We had a birthday party for Maya and some of her (boy)friends while they were here.

Maya was having a fit before the party started and
this is her being silly and hiding her face

 Addison and Nana!

We let Addison gnaw on some pizza crust. Yum!

 Maya (3), Nathan (2), Jude (3), and Leki (4). Jude was so excited he blew out everyone's candles while we sang "Happy Birthday." We had to relight each one for each kid afterwards!

The Sunday before my parents left the girls wore their matchy matchy outfits from Nana. Maya's skirt was way too big (she's so skinny!) so she wore a different skirt. But Nana fixed it so she can wear it now!

Papa and his girls the night before he left

Nana and her girls before she left. I took a few shots,
but this one is so hilarious I just had to only post it.
Maya and Addison's faces are the same!

update on my fatness

Still fat. No way, right? :)

So I did that cleanse thing a couple weeks ago. Wow, I had willpower! I did it! Problem- milk supply tanked. I had it in my head that my baby would get fresh breastmilk (from the tap or pumped, whatevs) until at least 6 months. She was just shy of six months, so I started pumping like crazy. Unfortunately I overdid it so I'm dealing with overactive letdown and some engorgement again, but trying to deal with that. If that's TMI, sorry. At least I don't use one of these:

I do find that absolutely hilarious, though. But I don't breastfeed in public, anyway (besides at swap&play and in the mother's lounge at church. Neither of which is exactly "public").

In the great words of my mother, "anyway, anyway..." so I came to the conclusion that any major restriction of food intake (and that "cleanse" didn't even restrict calories that much) will have to wait until Addison is weaned. I made a new goal of 9 months. At this rate she'll probably make it to a year then I'll freak out about weaning because I will not be made a hypocrite and nurse past a year. I'll just have to remind myself I want to get skinny!

In the meantime, I am going to the gym. I have a goal of 3 days a week. I know that's wimpy, but life gets in the way. It takes an eternity to get out the door sometimes, sometimes I'm just too friggin' tired (between my depression and staying up too late for my alone-time sanity, then Addison not sleeping her best, I am exhausted some [many] days). Last week I only went once. Goal not accomplished. But once is better than not at all! I will try to be better next week! I may not see a huge difference in my size, but at least I can get in the habit of going and work up some more endurance for exercising. And once I get in the habit of 3 days a week, I'll increase to 4, then 5...

I'm trying not to step on the scale. It will just be discouraging. It's not really the number I'm worried about- it's going down a couple pants sizes. Fitting better into XL shirts. I don't like having to plus-size shop for tops. When I was thinner I could shop anywhere for tops (and bottoms, most of the time). My body shape changed since having kids- I'm not as pear-shaped as I used to be, but if I lost some weight, maybe I would be more? I guess we'll have to wait and see.

And since I know you want to see her cuteness, here's the darling little culprit behind me staying fat a little longer:

Maya is 3 and Bryson is 14

Maya's 3rd birthday:

peanut butter is yummy

Maya wanted to be a baby

I love this picture

Maya is 3. Wow. She's had a crazy 3 years. Lots of moves, new family members, learning and growing, and she is one crazy little girl but we love her!

Addison a couple days later

Bryson's birthday was celebrated with us almost 3 weeks late...

a 1 and 4 little ones= 14!

A couple months ago I went to pick up the older kids from their mom's and had to ask Bryson if he was sick or his voice was changing. It was the latter. He's getting taller and thinner and a deeper voice and recently I looked at him and wondered where the little boy went! I turned to Jared and said something like "he looks like a teenager!" Bryson is my favorite stepson. :) But really, he's a good kid with a good heart and I love having him around. Can't believe he's growing up so fast!