in other news

the husband brought alex something back from florida- a magnetic monkey. it's fitting, because he calls her his little monkey.

i now find, said magnetic monkey, stuck to the most random things. for example:

why hello mr. monkey

how's it hangin'? ok lame. but it's funny.

apparently brynn doesn't mind her sleeping place being invaded- for she sleeps on:

i can only imagine what her tiny mind is contemplating.

"to wake or to sleep? that is the question..."

usually she decides to awaken- with help from this one (who screams at very high decibels for absolutely no reason other than the fact that she can):

shirt/dress: gift

shirt: Target

leggings: Target

socks: Old Navy

shoes: See Kai Run

(now, i'm not one for character clothing. in fact, i dread the day alex starts begging for Dora & Elmo shirts. but this kid worships Kai Lan & this was a gift from my mother. so how can i say no?)

i simply can't. plus, it's actually pretty cute. the shirt is way too big- so it's currently a dress.

she's obsessed with these shoes. velcro- un velcro- velcro- un velcro...

oh- and guess what else she can do now:

this. climb up on the couch. all by her little self.

do you see the look of fear on max's face? it's because he realizes he is no longer safe. anywhere.

i mentioned that she likes to climb up & then simply walk off, right? because she does. how am i supposed to keep up with that?

she looks for ways to break bones.

i've resorted to putting pillows & beanbags in front of the couch. they cushion the falls. many, many falls.

thankfully the above kamikaze child is down for a nap- and #2 is asleep in my arms- so it's safe to sit down & do something productive.

an by that i mean catch up on Teen Mom 2 & The Jersey Shore.

Jenelle makes me look like the world's best mom & Snookie makes me look hot. it's a win win.

i survived

no- not the show (even though i LOVE that show)- me. myself.

I LIVED! honestly- it wasn't that bad. my in-laws took alex overnight on friday so i got to "sleep in" saturday morning. i use " " because i still had to get up at 4:30am to pump & feed brynn- but we got to go back to sleep until like 7ish. glorious.

i then used the remainder of the day to do all the things alex doesn't allow me to do. boring yet effective.

we then braved church on sunday. thankfully my church has a soundproof children's room. fabulous because alex has no idea how to sit in church. my fault? yes. but i plan to remedy that. my mother & siblings were also in attendance- so they took over charge of alex after church (hello snack time) and i flitted around with brynn (who was quickly stolen from my arms & passed around to half of the town. i'm ok with that)

i was tickled because everyone kept commenting on how adorable my child was- but you know what people noticed the most? her perfect eyebrows. every. single. woman. commented on her eyebrows.

then they would look at mine (for comparison obviously) and i thanked God that i'd taken the time to pluck them the day before. because they were pretty rough for awhile.

also- did i mention that brynn crapped more than she ever has in her life? yes. bright yellow seedy poop all over her adorable church outfit. she has NEVER pooped through her clothes. i use an entire package of wipes.

it was a lot. like, i think there was some in her eyelashes. vom.

and then we headed home & the husband arrived around 6ish. and it was like he never left- except alex side eyed him for about 5 minutes.

now today- he's back to work & i'm back to the norm.

except it's not a normal day- because it's -10 outside. did you read that right?

NEGATIVE TEN DEGREES!!!

disgusting. and i have to go out. today = my 6 week pp checkup. and we need food and milk & laundry detergent. NEED!

so i will bundle up the girls & head out into the frozen tundra. because we also need mini marshmallows. because my cocoa isn't the same without them.

and i'll leave you with the following:

dress: Puma

shirt: Target

leggings: Target

shoes: See Kai Run

outfit: Old Navy

and, can you tell what these are?

can you?

why, they're gnomes of course. right?

alex loved them. or rather, she loves picking off the eyes & nose & inhaling them. and then licking off all the cinnamon & sugar & tossing the cookie.

thanks kid.

home alone

the husband & his buddies have flitted off to Florida to skydive for 4 days.

that means it's just myself & the girls. no breaks. no reprieve. no hand offs. no nothing.

::eye twitch::

weekends

saturday consisted of early morning errands & multiple nanny interviews- a full out busy day. so sunday needed to be simple & fun.

we started off getting dressed:

dress: gift

shoes: gift

socks: old navy

and i tortured her with picture after picture...

i tried to get pictures of alex- but she ran from me. typical.

instead, brynn decided to spit up & i put her in the onesie my best friend got the girls for Christmas:

i must admit- dresses are adorable- but on infants they seems so...difficult? they ride up & bunch up & get in the way. a simple onesie is the way to go.

i then decided my plan of attack would be getting shots of alex while she was "in the zone"- which = outside in the snow.

the husband got alex into her snowsuit while i bundled brynn up. i figured that we'd put them both on her sled & i would get the most perfect pictures of alex expressing her adoration for her sister- right?

look at the total disdain on her face. she's like- "wtf?! MY SLED!!!"

"oh.em.gee. you're still here?"

"hmmm- what can i..."

" GET OFF!"

and daddy had to intervene. poor brynn.

so i ended up with this. alex stuffing her face with snow & brynn looking like a sad, old man.

sisterly love fail.

but momma got some love!

afterwards i could see that alex's loyalty was to eating snow.

she loves me (i'm sure)- but she loves snow more.

and then it was daddy's turn:



still consuming snow. worry not- twas white, not yellow.

spit up. nice.

brynn's foot was touching alex. alex was pissed. "ZOMG MOM! SHE'S TOUCHING ME WITH HER FOOOOT!!!"

i got a few more shots of alex:

"alex- i think you've had enough snow..."

"DON'T YOU LOOK AT ME!"

got it.

a little more playtime with daddy:

and the puppies:

and it was time to head in

amazingly she didn't fight us- i think she was drunk on snow. and brynn's face was cold- so no arguments from her either.

it's times like these that i love the snow- otherwise i could do without. for real.